The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has disclosed that about 1,605 people in the Nadowli-Kaleo and Jirapa Districts as well as the Lawra municipality in the Upper West Region have been affected by recent floods in the region.
Available data from NADMO also indicated that the victims lost a total of 722 farmlands with some 336 persons being displaced.
Again, some 155 houses have been destroyed by the torrential rains.
“As of Friday, it was difficult for us to give an assessment of the situation. But today [Monday], we have gathered that about 722 farms have been washed away. About 1,605 people had their farmlands washed away, 336 people displaced, 155 houses destroyed. About three districts were affected. Namely the Nadowli-Kaleo district, Jirapa district, and the Lawra municipalities,” the Upper West Regional Coordinator of NADMO, Ahmed Mustapha indicated.
He also indicated that the organisation is partnering with other organisations to extend support to the affected persons.
“We are currently pleading with the religious bodies to lend us their structures to accommodate the victims temporarily as we move to get them relief packages.
“We are sending them mosquito nets, coils, rice, and other food items. We plan on doing all these on Tuesday.”
An over 12-hour downpour in the Upper West Region on Friday flooded irrigation sites, farmlands, and communities along the Nadowli-Tangasie highway.
The flood washed off major road roads in the area, with many commuters getting stranded due to the situation.
Major bridges on the Wa-Hale road that connect the Nadowli-Kaleo district, Jirapa, Lawra, and the Nandom municipalities to Wa the Upper West regional capital were also affected.
Portions of the already deplorable Wa-Tumu road were also washed off.
“My district has been cut off from the regional capital and other towns. I just returned from a tour of the affected areas, and it’s not an easy thing. Vehicles cannot cross, people cannot cross, and the whole thing is just terrible. Currently, there is nothing we can do. We just hope that the water recedes and hope that it doesn’t rain heavily again for people to move about,” Chief Executive for the area, Kate Lankono, lamented.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Atta has given a one-week period to award construction works on all the bridges that were destroyed during the downpour.
Touring the Upper West Region to assess the extent of the damage, the Roads and Highways Minister, stated that his outfit will start processes to resolve the enormous damages expeditiously.
“Government will support every part of this country including this great region. Yes, there has been massive destruction but the affected roads are going to be fixed in record time. The government is going to mobilise all available resources to fix what has been destroyed,” he said.
Military deployment needed-NDC caucus
Members of the Upper West Region National Democratic Congress (NDC) Minority caucus in Parliament have called for urgent deployment of officers from the 48th Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces to the region to help create alternative access routes for the residents reeling under the effects of recent floods.
Major roads in and out of some parts of the Upper West Region have been washed away following a downpour in the region over the weekend.
The situation has led to reduced mobility and consequently affected economic activities in some parts of the region.
Addressing the media yesterday, spokesperson for the Caucus, Dr Sebastien Sandaare said the deployment of the officers through a collaboration between the Roads Ministry and Defence Ministry will help bring some relief to the residents.
“We as the NDC caucus and representatives of the people of the Upper West Region in Parliament are calling on the relevant authorities to take urgent remedial action to deal with the misfortune that has befallen our kinsmen. We recommend that the Ministry of Roads and Highways should liaise with the Ministry of Defence to as a matter of urgency deploy the 48th Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces in the region to create temporary access routes while efforts are made to rehabilitate the roads and bridges,” he said.
Dr. Sandaare who is the Member of Parliament for Daffiama-Bussie-Issa constituency commended the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin; Roads and Highways Minister, Kwasi Amoako-Atta and the Upper West Regional Minister, Hafiz Bin-Salih for their swift reaction to the situation.
He however urged the various stakeholders to ensure that trunk and feeder roads that were destroyed by the floods are fixed in addition to the major roads.
“We have taken note and therefore wish to acknowledge the swift intervention of the Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament in calling on the relevant authorities to intervene in the region. We also acknowledge the swift response of the Upper West Regional Minister and Road and Highways Minister in touring the region to assess the extent of damage and subsequent directive for the rehabilitation of affected roads to be commenced in earnest.”
