Member of Parliament (MP) for the North Tongu Constituency in the Volta Region, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has commended the Tongu Kings and Queens’ Union and, by extension all Traditional Leaders of the Tongu State for the empathy, wisdom, and direction they have so far shown in the Akosombo and Kpong dams spillage disaster that has afflicted thousands of lives in the nine districts of the region. Mr. Ablakwa made the commendation when members of the Floods Committee of the Union visited the St. Kizito camp at Mepe to assess the flood situation in the area.
The Akosombo dam spillage has destroyed not only buildings, property, and people’s livelihoods but also displaced more than twenty-two thousand (22,000) residents of the Tongu state. The situation has led to the influx of relief items to the victims from individuals, institutions, corporate Ghana, and religious organizations and churches across the country, among others.
For this reason, the Floods Committee of the Tongu Kings and Queens’ Union paid a one-day working visit to the flood-affected areas in the North, Central, and South Tongu districts to assess the current situation.
The delegation was under the Chairmanship of the Paramount Queen mother of the Mafi Traditional Area, Mamaga Sename III. Other members of the Committee included the Paramount Chief of Sokpoe, Togbega Kadzi Zogah II, Paramount Queenmother of Mepe, Mamaga Adzo Sreku IV, Togbe Kokloko Titriku Ananze XIII of Dorfor, Mamaga Adzesu II of Sokpoe, Togbe Ayensu Kokotako III of Wume as well as the District Chief Executive (DCE) for South Tongu, Hon. Seth Kwesi Agbi.
The Committee paid courtesy calls on the Manklalo of Mepe, Togbe Korsi Nego IV, as well as the Paramount Chief of the Battor Traditional Area and Vice President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, Togbega Patamia Dzekley VII, both of whom briefed the delegation on the floods situation.
According to Togbe Nego IV, the flood situation has been devastating, rendering people in the affected area helpless. He disclosed that forty-thousand (40,000) bags of sachet water have so far been received and distributed to the flood victims in the area.
For his part, Togbega Patamia Dzekley VII used the visit of the Floods Committee to issue a disclaimer. He stated that the Battor Traditional Council has not threatened the government to relocate victims of the Akosombo dam spillage to the Saglemi Housing Project site, explaining that one Mr. John Kwame Meney Borbordzi, whom the statement was attributed to and also described as a Chief and Manklalo of Battor, has no locus in the Battor State.
Togbega Patamia Dzekley VII described Borbordzi as an imposter, adding that he has not been gazetted as a chief and cannot speak for the Battor Traditional Council or Area.
At the St. Kizito Senior High School camp at Mepe, the North Tongu lawmaker took the delegation around the campsite. They visited some of the victims who were camping in various classrooms. At the time of the visit, the ARS Church was having a church service for the victims, which attracted members of the Committee to briefly join and dance with the worshippers before engaging Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.
The Committee also visited some of the flood victims at Mafi Aklamador, about ninety-five (95) percent of whom are victims from Mepe. These victims are not in any camp but living in available rooms at Mafi Aklamador and its sister communities belonging to occupants who are out of town during this time of the year on fishing and farming expeditions elsewhere. The victims only meet at the premises of the former Central Tongu MP, Hon. Joe Gidisu, when needed.
The in-charge of the victims at Mafi Aklamador, Mr. King David, was grateful to the Tongu Kings and Queens’ Union for their visit and briefed members of the delegation.
At Sokpoe, scores of flood victims and some residents poured out to meet the Floods Committee.
Addressing the media at Mepe, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa was grateful to the Floods Committee and all Tongu Chiefs and Queens for their empathy, wisdom, and guidance. According to him, their advice and encouragement have led to the successes recorded in the collective efforts to address what he described as the induced spillage from the Akosombo dam.
He was also thankful to all Ghanaians for the love and support exhibited towards the victims thus far. According to him, the show of compassion by individuals, institutions, corporate Ghana, religious organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), churches, and the general public has been phenomenal and overwhelming.
The North Tongu MP again emphasized the need for the government to ensure the immediate payment of compensation to the flood victims and their relocation. He said that when the Apeate disaster occurred, the government led the charge and immediately committed resources to rebuild the community. He wondered why the state could not exhibit a similar commitment in this latest flood disaster.
Chairperson of the Committee and Paramount Queenmother of Mafi, Mamaga Sename III, shared her observations with our news team and added her voice in calling for resettlement and compensation for the flood victims. According to her, what was needed now beyond the relief items was how victims who lost their buildings and other properties would be settled, relocated, and appropriately compensated to have decent accommodation to live in.
Mamaga Sename III described the tour as very revealing and urged the chiefs and people of Tongu to remain united towards the overall development of the Tongu State.
