Government urged to intervene in Central Gonja floods

Tamale, Oct. 21, GNA - The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) and the Northern Regional Child Protection Network (NRCP), a Civil Society Organization (CSO), have called on government and other CSOs to intervene in the Central Gonja flood disaster that has displaced over 25,000 people.

The two organisations have also appealed specifically to the Central Gonja District Assembly and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to expedite action in finding solution to the 35 schools that were affected by the floods.

Mr Alhassan Sulemana Hussein, Northern Regional Director of NCCE made the appeal at Buipe after touring some of the affected areas in the Central Gonja District to assess the extent of damage to life and property especially women and children.

He described the situation as pathetic saying it required civil society support including non-governmental organizations to avert any further psychological trauma to the victims. Mr Hussein, who is also the Chairman of NRCP appealed to the Northern Regional Health Directorate to immediately take measures to provide medical care to the people to prevent the outbreak of any water-borne diseases in the area.

He also directed the Central Gonja District NCCE office to carry out public sensitization to ensure that parents take their children away from the flood waters to prevent them from contracting any disease. Mr Hussein said the network was preparing itself well to be able to fully support people in such situations in the future, adding that "stakeholders must take a holistic look at disasters in the country, which is gradually becoming a ritual".

The current floods at the Central Gonja had left two people dead, displaced over 25,000 people with 55 communities affected. About 25 of those houses and three toilets had been submerged while 35 schools were also affected with 23,500 acres of farm land destroyed. 21 Oct. 10