Keta (VR), Nov. 14, GNA – Tidal waves victims in communities along Volta Region’s coast in Ketu South, Keta, and Anloga District have received a donation of 3,000 mattresses, bedding materials, 1,500 pieces of mosquito nets, soap and detergents, as well as food supplies.
The donation, sponsored by The Volta Tidal Waves Relief Fund (VTWRF), The Ghana Association of Bankers (GAB), together with The MTN Ghana Foundation, Ashfoam, and partners from corporate Ghana was through the Caring Sisters of Anlo Traditional Area, an all-women Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) to alleviate the sufferings of the people.
Presenting the relief items at the forecourt of the Keta Municipal Assembly on Sunday, Mr Mawuko Afadzinu, Brands and Marketing Director at Stanbic Bank and one of the initiators of VTWRF said the initiative was to reduce the impact of the disaster on victims.
He said he was moved into initiating the Fund because he was at home for a funeral when the disaster struck and later monitored its devastating effects on the people in the media requiring well meaning citizens to provide support and become shoulders on which the people would cling to and get back their footing.
Mr Afadzinu said the few days of appeal to individuals and corporate institutions had yielded over GH¢1million cedis and noted that apart from the first batch (Sunday’s donation), there would be a second, which would consider reconstructing educational and medical infrastructure among others so the people could have “some semblance of normalcy” and called on those yet to donate to the Fund to do so.
Mr John Awuah, Chief Executive Officer of GAB citing the GH¢10 million COVID-19 Relief Fund and procurement of bulletproof vest among others to support the Ghana Police Service to indicate the Association’s commitment to the welfare of Ghanaians in times of need saying, “the banks are behind the people of Anlo.”
He called on others to support the tidal wave victims saying, “this is the time for action, reach into your pockets and support.”
Ms Sese Gadzekpo from Caring Sisters said the 30-year old NGO, which had trained about 600 girls and women in the past and has an educational institute, Caring Sisters Vocational Institute, Tegbi was leading the donation to ensure that the most vulnerable of the victims; the elderly, pregnant women and children were adequately catered for.
Madam Abla Dzifa Gomashie, Member of Parliament for Ketu South who spoke on behalf of her other two colleagues from the coast said she was humbled and grateful for Voltarians in Ghana and diaspora as well as Corporate Ghana for the donation, which she described as, “comforting” and indicative of “a new dawn” for the victims.
Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, Volta Regional Minister was grateful for the gesture and said such a wonderful collaboration between citizens and government was the way to go and hoped the Fund would become permanent for people to get quick response in times like these to alleviate their plight.
He told the victims that the government cared about them and had always been with them from the day the disaster struck, with National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) around for assessment and reaching victims with some relief items stressing, “government has not abandoned you.”
The presentation, which had Prof Audrey Gadzekpo of University of Ghana, a Deputy CEO of Bui Power Authority, Mr George Tettey among other distinguished personalities from the land in attendance, saw the Regional Minister in collaboration with Municipal and District Chief Executives from the region donating some food and non-food items to the victims in addition to other relief items brought from NADMO led by Mr Seji Saji Amedonu, its Deputy Director General.
A storm surge over the last weekend flooded homes and collapsed buildings including houses and school blocks in communities in KetuSouth, Keta, and Anloga District, and rendered about 4,000 people homeless.
There have been severe forms of the sea’s devastation in 2021 alone in communities of Salakope and Agavedzi and Fuveme, which washed away homes and lifetime investment of victims.
GNA