Give security label to spillage disaster to move issue from political discourse to security concerns - Expert

Security Policy Expert, Anthony Acquaye, has called on the government to attach securitise issues regarding the spillage of the Akosombo dam which has wreaked havoc in the Volta region, Eastern region, and parts of the Greater Accra region.

Securitisation involved the transformation of issues from regular political ones into matters of security.

According to him, attaching a security label to the disaster will help concerned parties and stakeholders to move the conversation on the disaster beyond a political discourse to a national security threat.

He explained that this will also draw the attention of international communities for humanitarian relief and assistance.

In a statement, the expert, Anthony Acquaye indicated that giving a security label to the spillage disaster is crucial for ensuring the swift delivery of essential resources and assistance to the affected citizens in the nine District Assemblies impacted by the disaster.

“Securitising the spillage disaster will greatly help in providing all the necessary accoutrements to ensure quick solutions to the problems which these affected citizens are facing in all the nine District Assemblies within the Volta region, Eastern region and Greater Accra region.

“This cardinal move if achieved, will need a state of emergency declaration most especially at the most affected Districts Assemblies to draw the attention of the international communities particularly the foreign countries that had bilateral relationship with Ghana for more humanitarian relief support items, and to ensure a colossal budget allocation, massive deployment of military - Police personnel in assisting the affected people to further reduce the risk of destruction, and minimise damage to properties,” parts of the statement said.

The expert further explained that the president must act swiftly to prevent health outbreaks in the midst of the disaster.

The goal, he added, is to protect all aspects of the affected communities, including human lives, properties, businesses in these affected areas.

“In my expert view, it is worth it to see that the president securitises the issue with a legitimate treatment through best security practices by declaring a state of emergency especially on the grounds that, lives of patients in the hospitals are in danger due to the flood.

"The flood has resulted in electricity power cut off in these areas, affecting the operations of many hospitals in places such as Sogakope and Adidome.

Mortuary, toilets and cemetery have also been flooded leading to environmental pollution that can trigger outbreak of epidemic cholera and typhoid, if critical measures are not put in place to salvage the situation there will be health concerns that need to be tackled later,” the statement added.

Since the spillage exercise began, close to 20, 000 people in more that 100 communities in about nine district assemblies such as North, Central and South Tongu District Assemblies, Shai Osudoku and Ada among others, downstream of the Volta River have been affected.

Many have had their homes, properties and source of livelihood destroyed as a result of the disaster.

Even though the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, visited some of the affected communities and assured them of government’s commitment to alleviate their plights, the former President, John Dramani Mahama, and other Civil groups have called on the government to declare a state of emergency in the areas affected by the flood from the spillage.

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