Volta Lake flooding: Victims in Pru East take shelter on their farms

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Transcript

00:00 It's a pleasure to have you on this edition of the AM Show.

00:03 Thank you so much for making time to be a part.

00:05 I'm Bernice Abubey-Doolan.

00:07 So much earlier, you saw my colleague, Benjamin Akapu,

00:11 interacting with Dr. Tremie Tiyahene

00:13 on the issues around HIV/AIDS prevalence in Ghana,

00:18 the availability of antiretroviral drugs

00:21 for persons living with HIV, and how to reduce infections.

00:28 It's now time to bring you a quick update

00:30 on what's happening in the Volta region

00:35 on the spillage of the Okosomwe Pond dams,

00:37 which has led to flooding in the area.

00:40 And this morning, I've been joined by Amos Ahosu.

00:43 He's Assembly Member for the Mepe Electoral Area.

00:47 Good morning to you.

00:48 Thank you so much for your time this morning.

00:52 So we understand that the Vice President

00:55 has toured parts of the Volta region

00:58 which have been flooded as a result of the spillage.

01:01 And we also understand that relief items

01:04 have started trickling in.

01:05 What can you tell us about what you've received so far

01:08 in terms of relief?

01:10 Yes, thanks so much for the opportunity

01:13 and a good morning to your cherished listeners.

01:16 Actually, we were being heavily supported

01:19 by the National NADMOR.

01:22 The last time the President was also here,

01:25 Honorable President of Agrafwa,

01:27 you know this is his 2020.

01:30 So he has been supporting just yesterday

01:33 some rice, oil, anything you can think of, water.

01:38 He has been trying his best in that area.

01:42 Philanthropies, organization bodies, churches,

01:46 they are all helping in their small way.

01:49 They are all helping, they are helping.

01:51 And then, actually we started having things.

01:54 But looking at the situation, we still need more.

01:58 We were told that the spillage

02:06 will likely end anytime soon,

02:08 but we're yet to receive a concrete confirmation

02:11 because the rains have still been coming in.

02:14 What are you able to tell us

02:16 about the flood situation proper?

02:18 Is it getting worse or the water has begun to recede?

02:23 What have you noticed?

02:24 - Yeah, actually it has stopped.

02:26 Where it has receded before, it's still there

02:30 and it's not moving, it's not going back,

02:32 it's not coming on through.

02:34 So it will be our President's wishes

02:36 that it stays so and it go back finally.

02:39 - Right, so the situation is not getting worse at least.

02:42 Right, so how are the items being distributed?

02:47 We know that there are some people

02:49 who have moved to safer ground.

02:52 There are others who are also in shelters.

02:55 How is the distribution of relief items happening?

03:00 - Yeah, some of the relief items,

03:02 when they brought them, they send it

03:04 to the my traditional authorities.

03:06 They will take delivery of it before sharing it.

03:09 Other bodies, when they come, they go on their own.

03:13 Yeah, they go on their own to distribute whatever.

03:16 I mean, yesterday, when our brother

03:17 who could get to Abraha came,

03:19 we received his items, we see that he met

03:22 with the traditional authorities

03:23 and then they started the distribution.

03:25 So that is how it is happening now.

03:28 - Right, and we also understand that there were concerns

03:32 by one of the traditional leaders in the area

03:35 about the spread of infections

03:38 and because people have to use polluted water

03:43 for many of the things they have to do,

03:44 washing and all that.

03:47 Do you have any relief in terms of medical assistance?

03:52 The Ghana Medical Association was coming over.

03:56 We understand that the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana

03:59 has also made some donations.

04:00 What can you tell us about meeting the health needs

04:04 of those who've been displaced?

04:05 - Yeah, the health needs is much needed, much, much needed.

04:08 The last time I had a meeting with the health directorate,

04:14 they've created a mobile clinic for the safe haven.

04:19 So I learned a woman is being delivered there

04:24 and they are taking care of the people in that manner.

04:27 But in other aspects of it,

04:29 it is the water that is heavily being polluted now

04:33 that we can't drink, you can't bathe with it,

04:36 you can't do anything with it.

04:38 So the health implications that it is bringing now

04:41 is a very, very big, major concern

04:44 because it started breeding mosquitoes already.

04:47 Cholera will come in, typhoid,

04:51 and other communicable diseases, name them.

04:55 It's not the best, the situation is not the best.

04:59 So if authorities are listening

05:02 and they can assist us in that manner to find,

05:05 because the health center that was created,

05:07 actually they need 13 basic tablets to operate with.

05:13 - This health center,

05:16 the displaced persons visiting it for free,

05:19 are they being catered for without any charge?

05:23 - Yeah, actually if you have a health insurance,

05:28 you'll be catered for for free.

05:29 - But many of them say that they've lost some,

05:33 many of the items in the floodwaters,

05:36 they've lost their health insurance cards as well.

05:38 So how are those persons being catered for?

05:41 Do they have to pay to access healthcare?

05:44 - Yeah, actually, because the records is there

05:47 that they have a health insurance card,

05:50 they will look at it,

05:50 and I don't know how they are going about it anyway,

05:53 but that's what I know.

05:55 - Right, thank you for your time this morning.

05:57 Amos Ahosu is assembly member for the Meppe Electoral Area,

06:01 one of the areas that has been badly affected by floods

06:05 as a result of the spillage of water

06:08 from the Akosombo and Bone Dams.

06:11 He will be monitoring the situation.

06:13 But some persons living along the Volta River

06:15 in the Buno East region have had to stay on their farms

06:20 for more than three weeks due to floods in the area.

06:23 They say they are yet to receive relief items

06:25 from government agencies.

06:27 Nanaial Jima has more in the following report.

06:29 - In the Pro-East District, affected by the flood,

06:39 Faisal is the last among residents of Vutudeke

06:44 to evacuate their homes after the floods.

06:47 - The flood waters have taken over the whole community.

06:52 I'm the last person to evacuate

06:55 because my home was on a hill,

06:57 so I was the last to be affected.

06:58 - A piece of farmland is cleared

07:04 for the construction of a hut for shelter

07:07 with support from other community members.

07:10 The wooden structure is nearing completion.

07:13 Dried grass is used to roof the structure for habitation,

07:18 but he fears his property may be destroyed

07:20 should it rain again.

07:22 - I'm now going to other people's homes

07:30 for polythene bags to cover my properties.

07:33 If it rains, I would have to seek shelter

07:35 from another individual's home.

07:37 - Faisal's family is one of the over 500 families

07:49 of Vutudeke to be affected by the flood.

07:52 Already, some families have completed their shelters.

08:02 - Fante Okra is the hardest hit community by the flood.

08:05 An overwhelmed assembly member, Mohamed, shed tears.

08:14 - My house is now filled by victims of flood.

08:21 We are in need of help now.

08:22 - Many continue to count their losses

08:27 as the flood waters are yet to recede.

08:30 The NDC parliamentary candidate for the area,

08:33 Emmanuel Kwekubuam, is leading efforts

08:36 to solicit support for the victims.

08:39 - Not even the district office of NADMO,

08:41 they tell you they don't have anything.

08:43 The region doesn't equally have anything.

08:45 And please, please,

08:48 this is a very serious national disaster.

08:51 Please, don't let us wait,

08:53 because health authorities are even warning us

08:56 of possible water-related diseases.

09:01 So please, don't let us wait

09:04 till the unfortunate happens before we can.

09:07 Some of us have gone to their aid with something small,

09:12 some water, bags of water,

09:15 and then places where they can sleep

09:18 with some bags that they can use for their tents.

09:22 But it's still not enough.

09:23 - Joy News investigations have revealed

09:26 the Pro-East District Assembly

09:28 have been able to secure a piece of land

09:31 to resettle the Phanteocrea community.

09:33 For Joy News, Nana Ojima reporting.

09:38 - Right, so just to paint a clearer picture for you

09:45 if you're not too familiar with what exactly is happening,

09:49 it is that the Volta River,

09:50 which sources from parts of Burkina Faso

09:53 down through places like Buno, the Savannah region,

09:57 'cause you have the Black Volta, the White Volta,

10:00 and the Red Volta all coming in,

10:02 feeding into the Okosumbo Dam,

10:05 which has then caused the dam to overflow,

10:08 and not overflow, for the levels of the water to rise,

10:12 rather, I beg your pardon.

10:13 And then the VRE authorities need to spill.

10:17 So those in parts of the Volta and the Eastern region

10:21 down south are having floods

10:24 because of the spillage of the Okosumbo and Bond Dams.

10:29 But those in the Pro-East, Savannah,

10:32 and in the Northern sector are dealing with floods

10:36 caused by the overflow of the Volta River.

10:41 And so that's just a picture

10:44 so that you can get a clear understanding

10:45 of what is happening.

10:46 But I've been joined by Alhaji Abdolaye Adams.

10:49 He's the DCE for Pro-East.

10:52 Good morning to you, and thank you so much for your time.

10:55 Clearly, the devastation is evident for all to see.

11:00 Your members, or the residents in your constituency,

11:06 have been asking for support.

11:12 Has any support come, and in what form?

11:15 (phone ringing)

11:17 - Thank you very much, my sister.

11:20 Yes, it has been like that.

11:22 In our part, what we've been able to do for now

11:24 is to get a place for them to relocate temporarily

11:28 whilst we wait for other support from the top

11:33 with individuals who have some,

11:36 and then NGOs, we are dealing with people

11:39 who have such support for us to come to our aid.

11:42 As you see, the situation for ourselves.

11:45 So as an assembly, we've been able to acquire land

11:49 for the people temporarily.

11:51 But looking at things, when we got the place for them,

11:55 they think that that place would have been nice for them

11:57 so that they don't go back to the place

11:59 even if the water situation there is some,

12:03 or if the place has come back to normalcy

12:06 because we visit them.

12:08 So they think that what we have gotten for them

12:10 to a temporary place, they would like to stay there for life.

12:15 But you know, if it's a situation

12:17 that they should stay there for life,

12:19 you know we need to go back to the anonymous

12:21 and then speak to them, because I don't think

12:22 an anonymous will give the land to us for free.

12:26 It should be definitely something.

12:28 Now that it is temporary, it's something small

12:30 that will be for anonymous to pay for the place.

12:33 So we are calling on people to this big media house

12:38 to come to our aid for that place.

12:40 - Mr. Adams, if you could just speak up a little,

12:44 it's quite a struggle hearing you.

12:47 But I would just like to find out if residents of Pro-East

12:51 or other communities around were informed

12:55 about the danger ahead with regards

12:57 to the flooding situation or it came as a surprise.

13:01 - I think it is a situation that has been coming

13:07 at a time that is heavy with the river overflows.

13:10 Those who live very close to the lake,

13:12 it normally happens to them.

13:15 So it is something that has been,

13:17 this is not the first time we have experienced this,

13:19 it has been happening.

13:20 But at this time, this time it has come more

13:23 than it has been coming.

13:24 That is why the situation is like this, as we see.

13:28 - There was no warning whatsoever from NADMO,

13:31 from, you didn't receive any indication

13:34 from the Ghana Meteorological Agency, for example,

13:36 about heavy rains which would possibly cause floods, right?

13:40 - Actually, for that one, I can't speak to that.

13:44 But what I know is that the NADMO,

13:48 who are in charge of that,

13:50 they've been doing all these things

13:51 anytime there's this situation to them.

13:54 But only--

13:55 - Since the floods began?

13:57 Has NADMO been there since the floods began?

14:00 - Yes, please.

14:01 - Okay, and what have they been telling you?

14:04 Do you need to evacuate more people?

14:08 Is the flooding situation getting worse?

14:12 - Yes, some people, after yesterday,

14:14 I went to a place in Yeji called Pinti Kofensiano.

14:19 Some of them are relocated.

14:20 They are telling me, as we see,

14:23 that means it has not stopped as it is now.

14:26 What that means is that we should expect more.

14:28 Thank you.

14:29 For now, those of our brothers who are in the villages,

14:34 they have been relocated to the higher grounds as it is.

14:38 But then, you know, they have some of their houses

14:41 being roofed with iron sheets.

14:42 But the situation at the place now,

14:44 they are not in a position to do that.

14:46 So they are living in these grass houses

14:48 at the higher ground.

14:49 So we think if you get this iron sheet or whatever,

14:54 they can sort of raid those

14:59 and then get the place fixed for themselves

15:01 so that they can be happy once again.

15:05 - So who is facilitating these evacuations

15:10 in the communities?

15:13 - Yes, I live, I work for my mom.

15:16 But for those of our brothers at the villages

15:18 where I visited, they have already relocated.

15:22 Some of the time, the day I even got there,

15:24 when I got there, the youth were already on the higher ground

15:28 preparing those such houses for themselves.

15:32 But those in town, you know, because it is in town,

15:35 you don't have a place just behind you to move

15:39 because the people's houses are also behind you.

15:42 There's that, they cannot go back into them.

15:44 So that is where you need to get a place somewhere.

15:48 Fortunately for us, we've gotten a place,

15:49 but it is a temporary place for them.

15:52 We need two minutes to be able to make the place very well,

15:56 even for them to be able to fit well.

15:59 - And has any official, apart from Natmo,

16:03 we know that the MP for the area has also raised concerns

16:08 even in terms of averting this in the future,

16:15 trying to create other pathways for the water,

16:18 have useful purposes for the water.

16:21 Has there been any engagement?

16:22 So for your DCE, has there been any engagement

16:26 at that level?

16:29 - What?

16:30 Hello, Marjit, I can't hear you now.

16:36 - Can you hear me now, please?

16:38 - Yes, I can hear you now. - All right.

16:40 Please, did you get my question?

16:44 - No, please.

16:45 - I was asking if there have been any engagements

16:47 on what to do to avert this in the future.

16:51 I know the MP for the area, Mr. Kwabena Donkor,

16:55 Dr. Kwabena Donkor has been complaining about this situation

17:00 and suggested ways the water can be useful

17:05 instead of it causing this havoc.

17:07 And I'm asking if there have been any engagements

17:09 about what to do to prevent the water from flooding homes

17:14 and get other useful purposes for it.

17:16 - No, Marjit, as I said, this is the year

17:20 that comes down ever.

17:23 So this is the time that we are now trying to look at

17:27 how we can tell it in the future.

17:30 So that is why we are looking at evacuating them

17:33 completely from that place,

17:35 because we think that it will be okay.

17:38 So we are thinking of completely for now,

17:41 taking them off of that place to the higher ground

17:44 so that that place, they don't go back,

17:46 if even at all, the situation of the water

17:50 is a little bit okay.

17:51 So that is what we are in for now.

17:53 But I think we need to engage more

17:55 so that we see how we can stop this thing

18:00 from occurring in future.

18:02 We have, I think it's a good call for us to sit down

18:06 in accordance of this community so that,

18:10 I have started, that is why I'm going to see an annulment.

18:13 I told them, I don't think that that place

18:15 is a good place for them to be,

18:18 if even at all the situation is resolved.

18:19 They shouldn't go back there.

18:21 And I have also bought into the idea.

18:23 So we have started at that level.

18:25 That is why we have been giving,

18:26 so I've sent my team of fiscal planners

18:29 to go and then design the place,

18:31 which we have done.

18:33 So that is why I'm calling for well-wishers

18:37 who are looking at how the NGOs

18:39 and those who have something in their hands

18:41 to come to us, because if we have to be better,

18:44 then we need to take stock of the annulment,

18:46 because I don't think it will be given to us for free.

18:50 So that is what I think for now.

18:52 So that at a higher level,

18:54 the situation of maybe,

18:57 we're looking at the situation of the spillage or whatever

19:02 can also be stopped at that level.

19:04 But at my level here,

19:06 we are talking about completely taking them from that place

19:09 so that we don't experience such a thing again in future,

19:12 because it has been happening.

19:13 At this time, we're not talking about well-wishers.

19:17 - Thank you for your time this morning.

19:19 Abdoulaye Adams is GCE for ProEast.

19:21 And if you just joined the program

19:24 and you're wondering why ProEast is also flooded,

19:27 it's because of heavy rains that have caused flooding

19:31 part of the Volta River upstream,

19:34 and which has caused the water levels

19:37 in the Kosovo Dam to rise, leading to the spillage,

19:40 which is causing the flooding down south.

19:43 So it's not only Meper, parts of the Eastern region,

19:47 Anglo, and the other places that are affected

19:50 as a result of this situation

19:53 with high volumes of water caused by heavy rains.

19:56 Also, one person unfortunately has been reported dead

20:00 and 3,300 displaced in Makango.

20:04 And this is due to heavy rains that has resulted

20:06 in the overflow of the Black Volta,

20:08 which all is part of the Volta River,

20:10 Black Volta, White Volta, Red Volta.

20:12 So we have quite a situation on our hands

20:14 and we need to touch base with all those

20:17 who've been affected by the floods.

20:18 So stay with us here on the AM Show.

20:20 We'll be reaching out to all these communities

20:22 and finding out how they are coping.

20:25 Just watching the AM Show.

20:26 I'll be back with more,

20:27 especially on the Innocent Roof Day.

20:30 (upbeat music)

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20:49 you

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