By Samuel Akumatey
Agbetikpo (V/R), Nov. 3, GNA – The Tobinco Group of companies has donated relief items worth GHC 1.5 million to victims of the Akosombo Dam excess water spillage.
The donation included medications including Lufart, an antimalaria drug of Entrance Pharmaceuticals Limited, the drug producing wing of the company, in addition to antibiotics and anti-fungal drugs, which could treat 60,000 cases of infections.
There were also some blood tonics and immune boosters for 10,000 victims, pain killers to treat 53,000 cases, cough syrup for 147,000 cases, and sanitisers.
Bags of rice and sugar, toiletries, and packaged water, were also donated, bringing the total amount of items to 1.5 million cedis.
Dr Nana Amo Tobin, the Chairman of the Tobinco Group, who led the team to present the items, urged the affected people to seek self- consolation and positivity to be able to reemerge stronger.
He called on corporate organisations and others with the ability to support the communities to join efforts by the Government to find a lasting solution to the situation, including permanent relocation.
Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Member of Parliament for the District, commended the Tobinco Group for the support saying more than 12,000 had been displaced in the district and being managed in 21 camps.
“We are very grateful to Tobinco for remembering us in our time of devastation and destitution.”
“North Tongu is the most vulnerable as we are the lowest in the Volta River Basin and we want to thank Tobinco for adding a spiritual aspect to the donation and worshiping with the people.”
He noted how clinical psychologists had identified “more depressing and even suicidal thoughts among the victims and there is the need to do more to help them.”
Mr Divine Osbourne Fenu, the DCE for the District, said the water had fast receded and was hopeful lives would be restored in the once submerged communities after structural assessments, decontamination and fumigations had been done.
Mankralo Hevi Borbordzi VII of Battor said: “We need government to help us rehabilitate. Things have become expensive and we cannot continue being beggars. Our homes have been destroyed and we cannot go back.”
GNA