Volta floods: Ablakwa descends on Sanitation Minister over ‘they refused to leave’ comment

The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has descended heavily on the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Freda Prempeh, over her suggestion that victims of the flood caused by the spillage of the Akosombo and Kpong dams failed to listen to advice to leave.

The MP, in a post shared on X on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, accused the sanitation minister of lying about her claim that the flood victims refused to move.

According to him, there were no attempts by the government to evacuate the flood victims to safer grounds.

“Sanitation Minister, Freda Prempeh should stop peddling falsehoods from the pit of hell. There was absolutely no effort by government to evacuate the over 30,000 people affected by the VRA-induced floods.

“Can she tell us where they had intended to evacuate my constituents to? Is it the classrooms where they are forced to be now under extremely inhumane conditions? Where is the proof of alternative housing arrangements made by government?

“And what does she mean by “we asked them to move?” Ablakwa wrote.

He added that, rather than supporting the flood victims, officials of the government are worsening their plight by making unguided statements.

“My people are down and out due to failed leadership; don’t kick them with your callous lies, crass ignorance, and gross insensitivity.”

View Ablakwa’s full post below:

Sanitation Minister, Freda Prempeh should stop peddling falsehoods from the pit of hell.

There was absolutely no effort by government to evacuate the over 30,000 people affected by the VRA-induced floods.

Can she tell us where they had intended to evacuate my constituents to? Is it the classrooms where they are forced to be now under extremely inhumane conditions?

Where is the proof of alternative housing arrangements made by government?

And what does she mean by “we asked them to move?”

The Sanitation Minister should sanitize her thoughts and understand in very clear terms that my constituents and all those affected across the country by her government’s negligence and ineptitude are not squatters.

Our forebears were here as land owners centuries before the Akosombo and Kpong dams were constructed.

My people are down and out due to failed leadership, don’t kick them with your callous lies, crass ignorance and gross insensitivity.

What the sanitation minister said:

Freda Prempeh said that the government, VRA and NADMO are suffering blame despite the massive education and other efforts that they invested since January 2023 till early September when the spillage was nearing.

“A stitch in time saves nine, we cannot sit back and allow situations like that … now people are blaming government, people are blaming VRA, people are blaming NADMO but these three institutions did a lot of education right from January till September,” she added.

In mid-September, the VRA started spilling excess water from the Akosombo and Kpong Dams in order to avoid collapse of the hydroelectric facility.

The spillage came with it massive waters that quickly inundated communities around the dam stretching several kilometers. It affected eight districts across three constituencies: North, Central and South Tongu.

Government has established an inter-ministerial committee led by the Chief of Staff to oversee an emergency response with president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo visiting Mepe last week to have a first-hand understanding of the situation.

BAI/SEA

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