The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Volta Region Caucus in Parliament has expressed displeasure at what it described as lackadaisical attitude of the government towards coastal communities devastated by tidal waves a couple of days ago.
According to the Caucus, the government has not done anything to alleviate the suffering of the approximately 4,000 people that have been affected by the disaster since the wave washed through their communities.
The experience of the inhabitants, the Volta MPs noted, has been a harrowing one with the majority of those affected made homeless and their properties and livelihoods washed by the giant wave.
Addressing a news conference in Parliament yesterday, the Caucus appealed to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the sector Minister and corporate Ghana to avert their attention to the plight of the people because the situation could get worse.
Member for Ketu South, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, who first spoke on the matter, indicated that tidal waves have hit Ghana’s shores in the Volta enclave on many occasions disclosing that in March and May the waves pounded the coastline.
She averred that in the previous instances, there were interventions from the government but lamented since the disaster happened several days ago, the people have not received any attention or support from the administration.
“No amount of turning this into a political game will save anybody’s face. What will save this government’s face is for them to respond appropriately and with alacrity and provide the shelters that our people need.
“I’m speaking on behalf of the people who are traumatized and devastated and all I need and all I ask and all I demand from this government is for them to respond appropriately,” she stated.
The Member for Keta, Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpey, whose constituency has also been affected, averred that no official from the Ministry of Works and Housing has visited the area since the incident.
According to him, the magnitude of the disaster is unimaginable and stressed the development should not be turned into a political chess game because the affected persons deserve sympathy and support because they are also Ghanaians.
“We need not play politics with this. We are calling on the central government to give a swift response by sending relief items to our people. As we speak, we are housing them in classrooms, and in churches, which are against their fundamental human rights.
“We pay tax. Are we not Ghanaians and are we not paying tax? So the government must move swiftly,” he stated.
He urged the government to start Phase 2 of the sea defence project to ensure the safety of the people and lamented that in the 2021 budget statement the project has not been budgeted for.
Earlier in a statement on the floor, Chairman of the Volta Caucus and MP for Ho West, Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, warned that if immediate action is not taken to salvage the situation there is a risk five communities or more could be lost permanently.
He averred that more towns are getting submerged compelling people to consider permanently relocating to safer communities.
MP for OkaiKwei Central, Patrick Yaw Boamah, in his contribution urged the government to give the stretch of the coastline in the region the needed attention in order to save lives and properties.
He urged the government to raise the funds to complete the coastal sea defence in order to protect those along the coast.
However, Majority Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh, in his remark urged the Volta Caucus not to politicize the matter because it is of grave concern to the government and expressed displeasure at some comments from the affected members.
The Volta Caucus, he said, should behave responsibly in their commentaries and urged all to be patriotic in the way the matter is being approached to enable a lasting solution.
The Majority, he said, will support any attempt devoid of undue partisan tendencies and called on the Presidency and the sector minister to ensure the necessary liquidity is released to address the situation.
He appealed to the Ministry of Finance to release some funding as soon as possible for Phase 2 of the sea defence project in the Region to be completed.
