ANOTHER FLOOD DISASTER HITS EAST GONJA

Another heavy rainfall has caused serious disaster in the East Gonja District of the Northern Region of Ghana affecting over 20 communities and displacing over 15,000 people.

Several Schools, health centers, bridges, roads, animals and farmlands have also been destroyed as a result of the over eight (8) hour rain. There was one casualty with broken leg but no death was recorded.

This is the second time the East Gonja District has recorded this worse form of natural disaster resulting from perennial rainfall within the last one month.

The first disaster affected 15 communities and displaced over 3,300 households, and affected a number of public schools, mosques, farmlands and other valuable properties.

All the Schools and health centers in the affected communities have now been closed indefinitely since all the buildings, furniture, books and other materials have completely been destroyed.

Teachers, Nurses and other civil servants working in the affected communities have left the area.

However, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for East Gonja, Alhassan Mumuni has visited the affected communities and sympathized with the traumatized victims most of whom are children and women.

The DCE was accompanied by the District NADMO Coordinator, Umar Alhassan, the District Coordinating Director, Mahama Mumuni, District National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) Coordinator, Alhaji Dramani and the Salaga Constituency Executives of the ruling National Democratic Congress.

Hon Alhassan Mumuni and his entourage who found it highly difficult to access the roads or link up with the victims due to high water level, encouraged the affected persons to be strong, come out of their trauma and see how best they could rebuild their lost fortunes.

The DCE therefore tasked the NADMO officials to collate all the vital information and do the necessary valuations to enable government or the District Assembly sought for the needed support or relief for the victims.

Mr. Mumuni commended the heads of the affected households for doing well to save the lives of their families to avoid more casualties. At Awuja-Kope in particular, the DCE nearly broke into tears due to the level of damage caused by the rain which had raised all the school buildings from the roof to the ground as well as the health centers destroying all the medicines and driving away all the patients who were on admission at the time.

Hon Mumuni therefore appealed to the runaway teachers, nurses and other workers to return to their duty post for the sake of humanity.

He assured them of the Assembly's support to ensure that they were safe to do their work.

The DCE appealed to the NADMO, NGOs and other organisations to come to the aid of the affected persons since they had lost everything they had.

He was particularly worried about the health implications the flood could cause on the lives of the people since several animals, refuse dumps and toilets facilities had been washed into the available streams and dams which also serve as sources of drinking water for the people.

Hon Mumuni also anticipated that the disaster would also go a long way to visit the people with hunger and further worsen their poverty situations.