Mepe Development Association Calls For Urgent Support For Akosombo Dam Spillage Food Victims In North Tongu Towns 

THE MEPE Development Association (MDA) has called on the corporate institutions, individuals and philanthropists to immediately donate more  relief items to the thousands of people in the communities on the bank of the River Volta which were rocked by the flood disaster following the current spillage of excess water from Akosombo and Kpong Dams by the Volta River Authority (VRA).

According to the Association, it has taken notice of the spillage of excess water from the Akosombo and Kpong Dams by the Volta River Authority (VRA) leading to the Volta River overflowing its banks downstream 

The development has led to the flooding of some  communities along the banks of the river in the North,Central and South Tongu Districts in the Volta Region.

The floods disaster had affected the livelihoods of the people, reminiscent of the devastating effects of the first  flooding disaster that occurred following the construction of the Akosombo Dam in 1965.

Several thousands  of homes have been submerged in the flood, destroying properties worth millions and  leaving many  homeless. Mepe has been worst hit. 

There is also a looming health crisis following the flooding  of toilet facilities and refuse dumps. 

The river has been heavily contaminated, leaving many who depend on its water  for cooking, drinking  and  other domestic uses stranded. 

Pipe-borne  water has also been shutdown. There is wide spread power outage. The situation is dire. 

The MDA is calling on government and its relevant agencies to speed up relief efforts to alleviate the plight of the people. 

Food supplies, sachets and bottles of drinking water, temporary accommodation facilities, medical interventions, clothing  are urgently needed to stem the situation  from further aggravation. 

"We are appealing for support from concerned individuals , organisations and other interested  parties  for  the victims of the disaster in these trying moments. 

"The downstream communities have been experiencing varied forms of ecological, economic, health and social crises since the construction of the Akosombo and Kpong Dams . We feel that, this  is too much a price to pay for our sacrifice to power the nation.*

"We demand that, while in the immediate term, the humanitarian catastrophe is dealt with , in the medium to long term, the state agencies responsible for the problems the communities are facing, engage the people to find a people-centered solution to these enduring crises," the MDA in a stratement copied to Soireenews.com noted.

The statement which was signed and issued by the Chairman of MDA, Mr  Kojo Mawulenu Fabian stressed that: "The MDA is pleased with the communal spirit and support exhibited so far by the youth and volunteers for the flood victims by  saving lives and salvaging properties." 

The statement added that "Let us continue to be each other’s keeper and keep faith alive. We shall overcome.