Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has toured areas affected by the spillage of the Bagre Dam and the torrential rains in the Upper East Region.
The move was aimed at commiserating with families who lost their relatives and to also give relief items to people who have been displaced by the floods.
The spillage of the Bagre dam in Burkina Faso coupled with the torrential rains between the period of August and early September, 2018 brought devastating effect in the entire region leading to loss of lives and properties running into millions of Ghana cedis.
The torrential rains which the region and Burkina Faso has experienced over the period necessitated the spillage of the Bagre dam causing a lot of havoc to residents living along the banks of the White Volta.
Over one hundred and twenty-two communities were affected across the region. Eleven thousand, seven hundred and thirty-nine farmers were affected by the floods.
Over twenty nine thousand, eight hundred and ninety-nine acres of farmlands were affected by flood waters.
The region also recorded seventeen deaths with two declared missing as a result of the torrential rains resulting in rivers and water bodies overflowing their channels.
Figures recorded in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality and the Builsa North district indicate that they were the hardest hit.
It is against this backdrop that the Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia decided to visit the affected areas and to also commensurate with the bereaved families.
The Vice President’s first point of call was at Siniesi a community in the Builsa North district. He was received with a rousing welcome by the chiefs and people in the area. In Siniesi, two people died with one declared missing.
The Vice President said the main objective of his visit is to donate relief items to the displaced people in the region and to also commensurate with the bereaved families of those died as a result of the spillage of Bagre dam and the torrential rains.
Dr. Bawumia on behalf of government donated five thousand Ghana cedis each to the bereaved families to aid them in their preparations towards the burial and funeral rites of their relatives.
Vice President Dr. Bawumia continued his tour to Kologu where a total of one hundred and sixty-four people comprising of men, women and children who had their houses completely destroyed and are currently living in Kologu Primary School.
Dr. Bawumia gave relief items including blankets, rice, cooking oil, mats, mattresses, rubber buckets, mosquito nets, rubber plates among others to the victims.
He reiterated the President’s commitment in finding a lasting solution to the issue and also pledged to fix the roads which has been washed away by the torrential rains. Vice President Bawumia last visit in the region was at Tongo, the district capital of Talensi.
In the Talensi district three people died as a result of the spillage of the Bagre Dam. In his welcome address the Paramount Chief of the Talensi Traditional Area, Tongraan Kubilsong Nalebtang, who is also a Council of State Member appealed to government to construct the Pwalugu multi-purpose dam to serve as a control measure to the perennial floods.
The Vice President in response to the Tongraana plea hinted that government is putting measures in place to construct the Pwalugu multipurpose dam. He revealed that cabinet last week Thursday held a meeting concerning the construction of the Pwalugu multipurpose dam.
He noted that a similar meeting will be held in October, 2018 to finalize the deal towards the construction of the dam.
Dr. Bawumia was accompanied by the Minister for Interior, Ambros Derry, Minister of Defence, Dominic Nitiwul, Director General of NADMO, Eric Nana Agyemang among others.
Story by GBC’s Samuel Ayammah
