Cape Coast, June 22, GNA – Mr Solomon Ebo Appiah, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the Komenda-Edina-Aguafo-Abrem (KEEA) Assembly has called for support for the recent flood victims in the area to enable them live normal lives.
He said government alone could not bear the cost of rehabilitation of the homes of the hundreds of victims, and it had become socially necessary for individuals and corporate bodies to assist.
Mr Appiah made the call when the Assembly presented quantities of relief items procured by the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) for onward distribution to the affected residents.
The items included; bags of rice, mattresses, plastic buckets, washing bowls, cups and eating bowls and cartons of soap.
On Saturday, June 18, some heavy rains that hit the area collapsed buildings largely in British-Komenda, Atonkwa, Essiam, Simiw, Abee, Effutu, Dompoase, Berase, Nkontrodo, Amissano, Abina and Ntranoa, all in the Komenda-Edina-Eguaafo-Abrem (KEEA).
It also submerged communities, including the Ankaful Camp Prison, and cutting off the bridge linking Cape Coast and Twifo-Praso at Jukwa.
An Ankaful prison officer, Senior Chief Officer Lutterodt unfortunately got drowned when flood waters swept through the Area.
Subsequently, Mr Eric Nana Agyemang-Prempeh, the Director-General of NADMO, Mrs Justina Marigold Assan, the Central Regional Minister, and other officials also toured affected communities to ascertain the extent of damage and took prompt actions to alleviate the plight of the affected people through donations.
Mr Appiah explained that the distribution was priority-based for those who were aged and hardest hit by the disaster.
Additionally, he affirmed the Assembly’s resolve to demolish all buildings on waterways, particularly structures constructed on access roads, illegal routes and public lands which pose danger to lives and property.
“The Assembly had mapped out strategies to get rid of all unauthorized structures that posed danger and served as a threat to the security of residents in the downstream areas.”
“Emerging slums and other areas where buildings on waterways had made the area prone to flooding that had resulted in the loss of lives and property, were some of the areas the exercise would be intensified,” he cautioned.
Mr Patrick Yeboah, Municipal Director of NADMO who facilitated the distribution exercise cautioned Ghanaians to be prepared for more rainfall as the country settled into the rainy season.
According to him, the expected rains would be exceptionally heavy therefore those in flood prone areas should move to high ground if the need be.
GNA