Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has chastised government for what he describes as a deliberate decision to neglect thousands displaced by floods triggered by the Akosombo Dam spillage two months ago.
For him, this is total wickedness, shameful and condemnable especially when the devastating floods, caused by the negligence of the Volta River Authority, a state institution, swallowed many homes, businesses, farms, schools and has left in its trail serious health risks with associated hardship for many now surviving on the benevolence of the generosity of Ghanaians.
Mr Ablakwa, noted with pain, how a government, can neglect its own people to suffer under such inhumane circumstances under the guise of being broke, yet raise a whopping US$20 million which is equivalent to GH¢230.5 million for the payment of a self-inflicted judgement debt, as recent as 14th November, 2023.
“At a time that about 40,000 of your fellow citizens have been displaced, government says it doesn’t have money for emergency housing and yet you can pay, cough up GH¢230.5 million, on the 14th of November, 2023, after the disaster to pay judgement debt” – he told Eric Ahianyo, host of IDEAS Exchange, a current affairs programme on TV XYZ.
“Its clear that Ghana is not broke. Its clear government can do better, it can take care of these flood victims, it could have built shelters.
Look if we, together with the private sector could do this partnership, the chiefs donating land, First Sky provided the building, I am furnishing and paying for utilities, light and water bills for the people and government cannot do something like this and its been three months?
Government says they are broke, they are helpless, they’ve now applied to World Bank, Global Shield to come and support them and yet you can pay GH¢230.5 million judgement debt within same period? What kind of government is this? What kind of wickedness is this? – he lamented.
He added… “If you look at even the allocation, they have made in the 2024 budget to support flood victims, its less than this part payment to Ghana Power Generation Company, GPGC.
Government says it can raise, GH¢220 million to support 40,000 flood victims and yet only a few days ago, you pay GH¢230.5 million because of reckless decisions”.
The MP for North Tongu’s conversation on the subject followed the donation of a GH¢125,000 cedis to Mepe flood victims by the Chief Justice Her Ladyship, Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo and staff of the Judicial Service on Wednesday, 13th December 2023.
The gesture, according to the Chief Justice follows concerns about the plight of victims and desperate effort by the MP for North Tongu to solicit for funds, relieve support to victims.
The cash donation, according to the Chief Justice was raised from over 340 staff members including Supreme Court, Appeals and High Court judges as well as ordinary members of the Judicial Service.
It is to help construct more bore holes to provide good drinking water and build more shelter facilities.
Source : myxyzonline/Ghana
