The Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu Constituency in the Volta Region, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, together with the traditional leaders in the district on Wednesday, called on former President John Dramani Mahama to thank him for his swift intervention when disaster struck in the constituency following the spillage of water from the Akosombo Dam.
This forms part of a series of thank you visits aimed at extending the gratitude of the chiefs and people of North Tongu to benevolent individuals and institutions who supported the affected victims in diverse ways.
The spillage of the Akosombo and Kpong Dams occasioned grave disaster to the people of the lower Volta Basin with the North Tongu Constituency bearing a significant part of the disaster which displaced over 12,000 persons.
This unfortunate phenomenon evoked the benevolence of a number of individuals and institutions who came to the aid of the affected persons with relief items and cash aimed at ameliorating their suffering.
The Council of Elders from the affected areas who joined Mr Ablakwa included Chairman of the Accountability Elders Committee, Professor Emmanuel Netse Afedo, Togbe Kwadzo Gli, Acting Paramount Chief of Mepe, Mamaga Asiedu IV, Paramount Queenmother of Battor, Togbe Kosi Ababio IV, Volo Traditional Area, Togbe Kosi Mesurobi III, Togbe Kwadzo Azagba also of Mepe.
Mr Ablakwa on behalf of the delegation, expressed the gratitude of the chiefs and people of North Tongu to the former President who came to their aid with alacrity despite not being under any immediate obligation to do so.
On his part, former President and flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress, John Dramani Mahama recounted how alarmed he was when he first visited the affected communities, a situation which necessitated his prompt intervention.
The next stop of the delegation was Mawums Limited whose intervention in reconstructing damaged road networks in the affected communities proved essential in the quest to facilitate mobility especially in distributing relief items to affected victims in various parts of the area.
Mawums Limited, a construction giant through its commitment to give back to society, took it upon themselves to reconstruct road networks which had been damaged in the constituency as a result of the disaster, a step in helping redevelop the communities which had been scarred by the disaster.
The eminent chiefs and the MP acknowledged the great humanitarian act by Mawums in contributing their bit towards ameliorating the plight of the people.
In accepting the delegation, Managing Director of Mawums Limited, Fuseini Wumbei stressed on the importance of healing for the people of North Tongu and other affected areas and also congratulated the Member of Parliament for his exemplary leadership.
The delegation also took the tour to the First Sky Group, a private entity in Tema who donated a truck-load of relief items to the affected people and further aided in the construction of an alternative settlement for the displaced persons with special focus on women and children.
A subsidiary of the Group, Construction Ambassadors championed the construction of alternative temporary settlements for displaced persons which has so far given accommodation to over 300 families mainly mothers and children while construction of additional housing units were going on.
Mr Ablakwa and his entourage of chiefs thanked the Group for their immense contribution which is helping displaced persons rebound from the disaster which has greatly affected their lives.
Chairman of the First Sky Group, Eric Kutortse was humbled by the delegation and underscored the importance of corporate and public institutions to come to the aid of the affected persons who have had their lives disrupted gravely through no fault of theirs.
BY KEN AFEDZI
