Executive Director of BSK Health Advocacy Foundation, Mr Bismark Kwabla Kpobi, who also doubles as a Senior registered Mental Nurse Health Advocate, has made a passionate appeal to the government to divert the COVID-19 Health Recovery Levy Fund into saving the lives of residents in communities along the Volta River affected by the spillage from the Akosombo Dam.
Flooding due to the spillage has propelled many communities in the North, South, and Central Tongu districts of the Volta Regionand some parts of the Greater Accra Region to seek refuge, elsewhere.
In a statement signed by Mr Bismark Kwabla Kpobi, he noted that Ghana is no more at risk of COVID-19, adding that it will be of good use for the finance ministry to channel all the monies into taking care of the health needs of the flood victims.
“It is my greatest opinion and suggestion that the Hon. Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta and the minister for health through Speaker Alban Bagbin take drastic but urgent steps and measures to channel the COVID-19 levy fund into another use or rename it ‘Flood Victims Health Recovery Levy’. This I believe will end the justified calls from the public to scrap the COVID-19 levy,” the statement read in part.
He also noted that the spillage was caused by large inflows from above the dam due to heavy rains in the northern parts of the country, he appealed to the government to take pragmatic measures to find lasting solutions to help save the flood victims by setting up the aforementioned fund for their health needs.
“We shall not relent on professing solutions and ideas to guide our leaders on policy formulations and implementation” the statement said
Read below the full statement.
Divert Covid-19 Health Recovery Levy Fund Permanently Into Taking Care Of The Health Needs Of Flood Victims.
Open Letter:
To: Finance Minister.
Hon. Speaker of Parliament.
By:- Bismark Kwabla Kpobi, Exc. Dir.. BSK Health Advocacy Foundation.
bismarkkwablakpobi@gmail.com.
In the year 2021, parliament approved Covid-19 Recovery Levy Act 1068, 2021, purposely and strategically to taking care of the health needs of Covid-19 victims.
Today, I can confidently say without any fear or favour that Ghana is no more Covid-19 risked or treating any passive or active cases despite wastage of monies on ” Vaccination and its Mop-Up kangaroo ” just few days ago.
As a practitioner and advocate, I am still deducted for Covid-19 Levy just as many other workers, and businesses.; now that Covid-19 pandemic is over, where does those monies go and what are they used for??
It is of my greatest opinion and suggestion that the Hon. Minister for Finance and Hon. Minister for Health through Hon. Speaker of Parliament take drastic but urgent steps and measures to channel the Covid-19 Levy Fund into another better uses by name: ” Flood Victims Health Recovery Levy “. This I believe will end the justified calls from the public to scrap the Covid-19 Levy.
The country is exposed to several flooding occurrences across the country due to the Impacts of Climate Changes ; the most hit victims are residents along the Volta River, ranging from Northern part through middle belt to southern part of the Country .
The whole Country does record floods in one way or the other in our major cities and towns, and the time is now to set up this fund to combating the health associated risks pose by the floods.
The water borne diseases that often result out of such disasters include Cholera, Typhoid, Malaria, Pneumonia, Hypothermia, skin infections and hunger related illnesses like ulcers ,dehydration etc due to submerge of refuse dumps ,burial graves, public toilets, latrines, dead animals and decayed food stuffs in the water.
We cannot pretend that this issue of annual flooding will be over in few days looking at the vast land size covered with deep depth of water. It is ,therefore, imperative that government take the necessary actions to giving lasting solutions to victims of floods by setting up this fund for their health needs.
We shall not relent on professing solutions and ideas to guide our leaders on policy formulations and implementation.
I am a Citizen and not a Spectator…
Long Live Ghana.
Thank you.
Bismark Kwabla Kpobi
Exc. Dir.. BSK Health Advocacy Foundation ( BSK HeAd Found.)
Snr.Registered Mental Nurse.
Health Advocate
Concerned Citizen.
bismarkkwablakpobi@gmail.com.
By Lawrence Odoom