By Edward Dankwah, GNA
Accra, Dec 19, GNA – The World Food Programme (WFP), the world’s largest humanitarian organisation, has presented some items to selected resourceful flood-affected girl students, a teacher and two others at the St Kizito Safe Haven.
The items included three brand new laptops, three brand new mobile phones, a basket of studying items, exercise books, WFP T shirts, kits from United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and cash prizes.
The gesture emanated after the WFP team paid a visit to Mepe, in the Volta Region of Ghana, to donate some food items to the affected victims of the Akosombo Dam Spillage and to conduct an assessment of the area.
Madam Barbara Clemens, Country Director Representative, WFP, said they were currently providing cash assistance to the affected victims towards the end of the crisis, specifically to assist in the recovery efforts, as well as build resilience in the near future.
“We are trying to mobilise resources to also give some funds to those who are ready to go back to their shelter,” she added.
She said they assisted the Natural Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to conduct a structural assessment of the entire area, to enable the safety of the affected victims, and also to put in place plans for continuity.
Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, MP for North Tongu Constituency, expressed appreciation on behalf of all chiefs and leaders of the constituency to the WFP for the gesture, as it had brought some respite to the people.
He said the constituency had begun reconstruction works as the waters had receded, adding that they had done a structural integrity assessment on the buildings which could be used and vice versa.
“There are about 1500 buildings that are damaged and that’s why you still have people in the displaced camps and classrooms,” he added.
The MP said one of his priorities was to construct alternative housing to move all living in displaced camps because there were disease outbreaks, respiratory diseases and others, stating that, “they cannot continue to live in the classrooms.”
“We are done with the first 300 capacity housing which we have relocated 300 people, particularly Mepe and St Kizito SHS because that SHS was collapsing, so students were seeking transfer due to displaced people having taken over the place,” he added.
Mr Ablakwa said the second construction phase had begun, and that mobilisation of resources was ongoing.
He appealed to Ghanaians, Corporate Bodies, Philanthropists, and others to in their own capacity support such a worthy cause, emphasising that, “we don’t mind at all about cash prizes alone, if you can give us building materials or even volunteer as a mason or plumber, we will be glad.”
GNA