Deputy Director General of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Seji Saji, has called on the general public to extend a helping hand to the people affected by the Akosombo Dam spillage.
According to him, while government through NADMO has been performing a yeoman’s job in addressing the immediate needs of the flood-displaced victims through the provision of food and shelter, they are currently spread thin and would need all the support they can get.
He noted that the crisis caused by the flooding is still unfolding, thus the population displaced by the dam spillage keeps increasing with each passing day and putting more pressure on NADMO.
Speaking on JoyFM’s Super Morning Show, Seji Saji said, “It is an unfolding situation. When this thing started we started with 2,000, then 3,000, now we’re at 26,000. We’re having items being brought in every day. We are operating from the North Tongu district assembly, we’re using this place as our centre to try and address the challenges across, though we have our staff and team in each of the districts.
“So we have quite a lot of items here, water and all that. So I don’t think that we will ever have enough because the situation is unfolding. There are also individuals that I know that are already also helping people in the community.
“The very first day I arrived in Mepe, I met a gentleman with a pickup or so who had cooked food and was distributing. So it is a situation that calls for all hands on deck and the support of everyone. Government is doing its bit by providing a lot of items that we have here.”
He called on the public to donate food items including rice, maize, gari and other staple foods, canned fish, oil etc, and for non-food items, he said mattresses, second-hand clothing, mosquito coils and nets, blankets etc will be much appreciated.
Meanwhile, the Akosombo and Kpong hydro dams spillage is expected to continue for at least a week to prevent the collapse of the dams.