By Christopher Arko, GNA
Accra, Oct. 23, GNA - Mr James Agalga, Ranking Member on Defence and Interior and Member of Parliament (MP) for Builsa North, has called on Government to implement the new National Disaster Management Organisation NADMO) Act passed by Parliament in 2016.
This, he said would adequately resource NADMO to prevent and mitigate disaster.
According to him, one key intervention in the new NADMO act was the establishment of the National Disaster Management Fund (NDMF), which was aimed at resourcing NADMO to deal with disasters in the country.
Besides, the creation of the disaster fund would go a long way to bring relief to disaster victims wherever disaster strikes.
Mr Agalga made the call when he spoke at a News conference in Parliament to highlight the devastating impact of the recent floods in the Upper East Region.
He said he brought the attention of the House in a statement, but was not given a slot in the business of the House for the day.
The House, which was on recess since the end of last July reconvened for the third meeting of the Third Session of the Fourth Republic on Tuesday, and would sit till it breaks for the Christmas holidays next December.
According to Mr Agalga, despite the early warning signals that the Ghana Meteorological Agency gave, the recent downpours caused severe flooding in the communities such as; Bawku, Builsa North and South, Bongo, Kasena-Nankana East, Garu, Timpane and many other communities in the Upper East Region.
Mr Agalga also stated that NADMO was overwhelmed by the effect of the disaster and as a result the relief effort aimed at mitigating the impact of the floods on those who fell victim was either slow in coming or non-existent.
He explained that the floods in the Upper East Region left about 28 persons dead, several farms submerged under the flood waters thereby posing insecurity in the region.
Also, a number of houses collapsed and countless numbers of civilians rendered homeless.
In addition, many persons have sustained various degrees of injuries linking to the collapse of buildings and were currently receiving treatment in some medical facilities across the region.
Mr Agalga said while the affected communities were still grappling with the devastating impact of last year’s floods, disaster struck again in the Upper East Region in the second week of October.
He recalled that in August 2018, communities in the Northern and Upper East Regions were affected by heavy and continuous seasonal rainfall, which was exacerbated by the annual opening of the Bagre Dam in neighbouring Burkina Faso.
He said the heavy rains and Bagre Dam spillage caused unprecedented flooding in many local communities in the Northern and Upper East Regions which resulted in loss of lives and property.
An assessment report produced by NADMO at the time highlighted the devastating impact of the floods.
In all about 20 lives were lost, while 12 people were severely injured.
He said about 487 houses were completely destroyed, while about 7,757 houses were partially destroyed.
Further, 11,959 hectares of farmlands were affected by the flooding posing food insecurity in the affected areas.
The Ranking Member on Defence and Interior said he personally provided some relief items to the affected in the Builsa North Constituency, but appealed to government to step in to support the people.
GNA
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