The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has hinted that the House would enquire into the spillage of the Akosombo and Kpong hydro dams which have left thousands of people homeless.
In the view of the Speaker, the spillage was ill thought through and without security and safety considerations.
“It is unacceptable that an activity as potentially destructive as dam spillage was done without a well-thought through security and safety preparedness plan.
“As such, Parliament will take the necessary action to enquire into the matter and make recommendations for the protection of property and lives along the Volta River and lake and other settlements along river beds.”
The Speaker gave this indication in his address in Accra yesterday to welcome members of parliament from recess.
Noting that the spillage had plunged “thousands of Ghanaians into destitution”, the Speaker asked that “let us rally behind our colleagues whose constituencies have been affected by the spillage. They are under immense pressure currently and they need our support more than ever”.
Estimating that properties lost in the spillage run into billions of Ghana cedis, the Speaker said the “calamity” must remind members of their responsibility as representatives of the people.
“We will advocate that adequate resources are provided to bring relief to the affected,” he added.
As the House reconvenes, the Speaker entreated Members to be reminded that “the survival and the future of generations yet unborn depend on the decisions we make within these hallowed walls”.
The Minority Leader and MP for Ajumako/Enyan/Essiam, Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, on his part described the spillage as “arguably the biggest man-made disaster to ever befall our nation”.
He said as a caucus, their hearts bleed for all the victims of the “man-made disaster” as he decried the conduct of both the government and the Volta River Authority in terms of leading a coordinated emergency response and disaster relief efforts.
On the itinerary of the House for the meeting, Dr Forson said his side of the House would scrutinise the upcoming Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Government which is scheduled to be delivered later this month with “eagle eyes”.
According to him, the prevailing economic conditions had already made it very difficult for the ordinary Ghanaian and businesses and therefore “we can’t be a party to any policy or measure which makes things even more unbearable for the already suffering Ghanaian and businesses.
But the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, in his address attributed the spillage to the “massive rain fall that the country had experienced this year”.
The House, the Suame lawmaker said, may have to invite the VRA to brief it on the situation relating to the spillage and all other connected matters.
He bemoaned what he said was the politicisation of the spillage by some MPs for their political interests.
“As MPs, one of our core responsibilities is to inform and educate the citizenry in order for them to make informed choices. Serving citizens with propaganda is corruption of the mind,” he stressed.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
The post Parliament to enquire into Akosombo Dam spillage – Speaker appeared first on Ghanaian Times.
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