Floods wrecked Northern Ghana

Francis Npong, Buipe, Ghana


floods in northern Ghana (Central Gonja)

 About 700, 000 people in the Northern parts of Ghana have been displaced by floods following the over flow of Volta river. 800 houses were also submerged and thousands of acres of farmlands and crops were now under water. The government officials led by the Interior Minister Martin Amidu expressed shock about the damage caused by the flood and described as national crisis. the extend of damage the minister said would cost more than the government could bear and however appealed to external agencies and governments to come into their aid. The floods which the officials blamed on climate change as a result of the activities of human and natural said the time has come for Ghana government to take immediate action to deal with effects of climate change.

The government agency, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) whose officials look helpless are supposed to handle situations of human and natural disasters in the country but the organization is under resourced. The agency though supposed to be independent however fall on the government for assistance. This however allowed politization of disaster management in Ghana hence delays in responding to disaster situations.
The officials of NADMO descirbed the situation as worst in 20 years looking at the extensive damages caused. though rains continued to fall regularly the government had not been able to put in place contigent plans to deal with the situation to prevent its recurring. So far two people have been confirmed dead as a result of the flood while many schools which are currently under water forced children out of classromms. There is also the possibility of cholera outbreak as sources of drinking water have contaminated. Though NADMO and the Central Gonja District Assembly had provided some water tankers to deliver quality to the people, the services of these tankers could not be extended to those said to be living across the river banks. this however compelled authorities to deliver drinking water, blankets and other relief items to the people by canoes.

UNCEF officials had so far moved to the area to help these poor and vulnerable people whose livelihoods now depended on relief items supply by organisations. the devastating situation had compelled the government of Ghana to call for extenal support to rescue people from the situation.