Paramount Chief of the Sokpoe Traditional Area, Togbega Kadzi Zogah II, has urged the government to demonstrate care by directly lending support to victims of the Akosombo Dam Spillage, especially those affected in his area.
The revered chief said this on Saturday at a program organized to present relief items to affected people in the Sokpoe Traditional Area. The items included bags of water, mattresses, and a cash amount totaling Ghc80,600. The database captured 403 people victims and with each of them receiving GHC 200.
According to Togbega Kadzi Zogah II, these items were solicited from natives of Sokpoe who are based in Accra and abroad. They raised a total of Ghc110,185 through an appeal initiated by opinion leaders of the community.
“We do not hope it happens again but I will urge us all to stay prepared,” Togbega advised his subjects to end his speech.
A representative from the office of the incumbent Member of Parliament for the South Tongu constituency, Kwabena Woyome, made some donations too. In a remark, he advised the natives to stay united and join hands to support affected people who have lost their livelihoods due to the spillage, especially widows, people living with disabilities, and children.
He explained that the donation is proof that Sokpoe does not only preach love but also demonstrates love. He explained that the items which included boxes of mosquito coils, bags of water, bales of used clothing and mattresses were parts of donations from benevolent people to the MP for onward presentation to the affected victims.
Lower Volta Region needs a representation on the VRA Board
Parliamentary Candidate for the South Tongu constituency, on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Maxwell Lukutor, in his comments at the programme lamented the fact that the Lower Volta Area does not have representation on the management board of the Volta River Authority (VRA).
He said a representation on the board would factor the concerns of the area in decision making. He explained that a rep from the Volta Region on the board would have contributed positively to the decision to open the dam on the people especially those in the lower Voltalands.
“The VRA only made plans for the Upper Volta and left out the Lower Volta and didn’t consider the repercussions and has caused us our livelihood. We urge the government to give us a Volta representative on the VRA Board so our concerns and pleads would be considered,” he stated.
He stated that the disaster which has not happened in over 50 years has caused them their homes and livelihoods and inflicted a lot of pain on them.
“I also want to ask, what plans do they have on resettlement for the people who lost their homes. Are the people supposed to return to their collapsed homes after the water recedes?” he queried.
The programme was also used to inaugurate six working committee for the development of the Sokpoe area. They include Steering Committee, Document and Records Committee, Psychological Committee, Donation Committee, Relief Committee, and Legal Committee.
The members were tasked to work to uphold the esteem of the Sokpoe Community.
The leadership of the committee promised to use every resource judiciously and work in the interest of the people.
Coordinator of Steering Committee, Emmanuel Yao Agbengu, who was also the brain behind the initiative, explained that the total money received was purely by the benevolence of the citizens of Sokpoe in Accra and abroad. He said the coordinators developed a mechanism to ensure that each person on their database which was collected receive GHC200.00 in cash alongside other relief items.
The Akosombo Dam Spillage has seen the destruction of so many farms and homes and has caused the sweeping away of communities around the North and South Tongu area.
Gracing the event were the Traditional Rulers of Sokpoe, the Sokpoe Asafo, Elders from various churches in Sokpoe, Elder Prosper Adamaley, Assembly Member for the area Hon. Edmond F. Dickah, and the entire Sokpoe Community.
The victims were overjoyed to receive these items from the good people. They said though it may not solve their problems entirely, they could feed their families for a couple of days while trying to get back on their feet.
By Gertrude Edem Amuzu