By Erica Apeatua Addo
Akoon (W/R), July 10, GNA – The Gold Fields Ghana Foundation (GFGF) has donated food items, building materials and protective equipment valued at GH¢150,000.00 to support communities affected by recent flooding in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality.
The items included 36 bags of rice, 16 boxes of cooking oil, 50 bags of cement, 30 packets of roofing sheets, 10 packs of raincoats, life jackets and pairs of wellington boots.
Presenting the items, Mr Abdel-Razak Yakubu, Executive Secretary of the GFGF, said the recent flooding recorded in parts of the country also affected some communities within the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality.
He said officials of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) had approached Gold Fields Ghana Limited and other institutions for support following an assessment of the affected communities.
Mr Yakubu noted that Gold Fields Ghana was among the first organisations to respond to the call for assistance.
He said the donation would help improve food security for displaced households, support the rehabilitation of damaged homes, strengthen emergency preparedness and aid recovery efforts in the affected communities.
Mr Yakubu stated that the intervention aligned with the Foundation’s commitment to sustainable community development and contributed to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1, 2, 3, 11, 13 and 17.
“We all saw the video that went viral on social media where an emergency service person was struggling to navigate the flood waters. Protecting life savers was essential, as they needed to ensure their own safety before rescuing others.
“That is why we provided life jackets and wellington boots for them to use in case they will be going to dangerous places” Mr Yakubu added.
Mr Yakubu acknowledged that although the donation might not fully address all the challenges confronting affected residents, it would help alleviate some of their immediate difficulties.
Mr Jacob Nyarko Cromwell, NADMO Coordinator for the area, who received the items on behalf of the affected communities, said recent heavy rains had caused flooding in several communities within the municipality.
He said assessments conducted by NADMO revealed that many households required urgent support with essential relief items.
Mr Cromwell explained that the organisation had limited relief supplies in stock and therefore appealed to Gold Fields Ghana and other corporate institutions for assistance.
He commended the Foundation for its timely intervention and urged other corporate bodies within Tarkwa and its environs to emulate the gesture.
Mr Cromwell said many flood victims were still in need of support and appealed to stakeholders to assist in efforts to alleviate their plight.
GNA
Edited by Justina Hilda Paaga/Lydia Kukua Asamoah
Reporter: Erica Apeatua Addo