Mr John Abdulai Jinapor, Member of Parliament for Yapei – Kusawgu Constituency has appealed for construction of new houses on higher grounds for victims of the recent floods in the Central Gonja District to prevent future occurrences.
He said, ‘The water is not receding. My appeal is that we must find a permanent solution to the challenge, and the permanent solution is to construct houses at higher elevation. Red Cross has indicated that if we push and advocate, they will be able to help us to construct some houses.’
He was speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Buipe when he joined officials of the Ghana Red Cross Society to distribute relief items to families, who were severely affected by the recent floods in the district.
The relief items included dignity and hygiene kits, blankets, insecticide treated nets, water gallons and cash grant transfers for 500 families in the district to help ensure the health, wellbeing, dignity, convenience, and livelihood restoration for them.
In late Se
ptember, last year, floods hit Buipe and some other communities in the district because of the Black Volta overflowing its banks following torrential rains upland leading to the displacement of over 3,000 people in the district as some homes were completely submerged.
Mr Jinapor said, ‘Following the floods, I got some partners to come and support. I spoke to Red Cross, and they came here. Last week, I had a meeting with them and today, they are here.’
He said if the affected persons returned to their homes, ‘the water will rise again, and we will have a major problem. And as the water keeps coming up, the structural integrity of buildings keeps weakening and the buildings can begin to collapse anytime soon.’
He added that, ‘I think that we have higher elevation. I have spoken to the District Chief Executive (DCE), and he is very cooperative. We are working together, and I hope that in collaboration with the DCE, together, we will be able to find a permanent solution to this challenge.’
He explained that ‘
I do know that some huge provision has been made for relief items and reconstruction in the budget. So, we will continue to push and pray that government will come to support the people.’
Mr Jinapor appealed for more support in terms of relief items for the people saying, ‘The situation is very dire and terrible.’
Mr Solomon Gayoni Gbolo, Secretary General, Ghana Red Cross Society, urged all leaders to take steps to establish preparedness measures to meet the challenges they were likely to face in future.
Source: Ghana News Agency