Relocate Akosombo Dam-induced flood victims to Saglemi houses – AFCSOs to Akufo-Addo

A coalition of civil society organisations has urged President Akufo-Addo to consider relocating the victims of the flooding situation caused by the Akosombo and Kpong Dams spillage to the abandoned Saglemi Housing Project.

The Alliance of Feminists Civil Societies Organisations (AFCSOs) made the call in a press statement issued on Wednesday, October 18.

According to them, the situation at hand borders on the fundamental human rights of the victims, hence priority must be given to their safety.

“The AFCSOs is calling on His Excellency the President of the republic as a matter of urgency to consider relocating flood victims to the Saglemi Housing Project while awaiting finality to be brought to this critical issue.

“We call on the government, as a matter of urgency, to provide flood victims decent accommodation by relocating them to Saglemi housing project as the right to shelter is a fundamental human right while other interventions are being provided for them,” the group said in a statement.

Beyond the temporary accommodation for the victims, AFCSOs are also demanding adequate compensation for the victims who have been rendered homeless for days, with their belongings destroyed.

“We urge the government to prepare adequate compensation for the victims to help minimize the impact of the flood especially the women and children as they would eventually be most affected in these areas,” the statement added.

The Volta River Authority has been spilling the Akosombo and the Kpong Dams in a controlled manner to avoid their overflowing and catastrophic disaster.

Many communities along the Volta Basin, such as Anloga, Sogakope, Mepe, and Battor, among others have been affected as their houses have been flooded.

The government through its agencies such as the Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and various stakeholders, including private organisations and benevolent individuals have been mobilising relief items to alleviate the plight of the victims in the interim.

Meanwhile, the VRA has said that the water levels in the dams stopped rising for the first time on Wednesday, October 18, since the start of the spillage.

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