THOUSANDS of people affected by floods in the Central Gonja District of the Northern Region have now agreed to move away from low-lying areas close to the banks of the Volta Lake onto safe grounds.
The flood victims had in the past refused to heed calls by the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to move to high grounds.
According to the 700,000 displaced persons, their current predicament, which they have not experienced for several decades, has taught them a bitter lesson that would mark the turning point in their lives.
They, however, appealed to the government to help them to rebuild their houses and markets on safe grounds.
Lamenting about their situation to the Daily Graphic, some of the displaced persons, who were living in temporary shelters provided by the assembly, said apart from the destruction caused to their homes, they had lost their property and means of livelihood.
“My farm is completely underwater and I have not been able to reap any harvest,” a farmer complained, while another person said she was unable to engage in her trading activities because the market had been submerged, making it difficult for her to earn any money.
The displaced persons commended the government for providing them with some relief items but noted that the items were inadequate.
Last Saturday, NADMO presented two more truck-loads of relief items to the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Central Gonja, Mr Issifu Salisu Be-Awuribe, for distribution to the persons displaced by the floods in the area.
The items comprised 100 bags of rice, maize and beans. It also included 500 pieces of mosquito nets, 50 cartons of detergents, 50 cartons of toilet soap, 1000 plastic buckets and used clothing.
The Minister of the Interior, Mr Martin Amidu, made the presentation in Buipe after leading a delegation to the area to assess the extent of the flooding. This was the second time that the NADMO had presented relief items to the flood victims in Central Gonja.
Mr Amidu said the government would put together more support packages for displaced persons throughout the country and called on the international community to support the government in that drive.
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