Tidal Wave: MP, MCE disagree on whether Government should declare a State of Emergency in affected Communities

Member of Parliament (MP) for Ketu South, Dzifa Abla Gomashie, has called for a State of Emergency to be declared in her Constituency and other areas affected by last Sunday’s tidal waves which has displaced thousands of people and destroyed homes and properties worth millions of Ghana Cedis.

Madam Gomashie said the current state of affairs in her constituency, Ketu South as well as Keta and Anlo where thousands of Ghanaians have lost their homes and livelihoods and have had to live in churches and community centres merits a state of emergency.

She bemoaned the situation where only ’30 bags of rice’ have been provided to the over one thousand affected residents in her constituency as part of relief items.

“Some small things (relief items) have been sent, it’s welcome but it’s a drop in the ocean…..the number of people who are affected and what they have now is not sufficient. We have over 1,000 people affected and they brought 30 bags of rice, imagine. This is absolutely why I am calling for a State of Emergency to be declared here because this is an emergency. When you put on make up, go to work and return only to realise what you call home is no more, that is an emergency,” she said.

The MP’s call for a State of Emergency has been supported by Governance Analyst, Bernard Oduro Takyi, who said such a move is timely and should be given the needed attention.

“Clearly the issue in Ketu South breeds enough grounds for a State of Emergency to be declared but due process must be followed. A State of Emergency under the tidal waves situation in Ketu South is purely a risk management mechanism. The MP knows that once a State of Emergency is declared then it calls for a calculated and deliberate action by the government to ensure that the people in Ketu South and the other areas are safeguarded”, he added.

The situation as it stands now may affect Monday’s BECE as some basic schools in the area have been affected.

MCE for Keta, Emmanuel Gemega, however disagrees with the MP’s call saying that the issue has not escalated to the level where a State of Emergency has become necessary. He said the affected schools are not examination centers for Monday’s BECE adding that all is set for the examinations to go ahead as planned.

”For a State of emergency I am not sure we are there yet. The measures that we have put in place are yielding results and luckily the tidal waves are also capsizing and we have not recorded any downpour since Monday and the situation is improving,” he said.

By Nelson Ayivor || ghananewsonline.com.gh