President Mahama links Hohoe flooding to extreme weather conditions
President John Dramani Mahama has attributed the recent flooding in Hohoe in the Volta Region to extreme weather conditions associated with climate change.
President Mahama made the observation when he visited communities affected by the flooding to sympathise with victims and assess the impact of the disaster.
According to him, climate change is increasingly resulting in unpredictable weather patterns, with some areas experiencing excessive rainfall while others face prolonged periods of drought.
“There is something we call climate change, and so it’s leading to what we call extreme weather phenomena,” President Mahama said.
He explained that the recent flooding was triggered by continuous rainfall, including heavy rains in neighbouring Togo that sent large volumes of water into the River Dayi.
“I’m informed in Togo, it brought a lot of water down the River Dayi and flooded the low-lying areas of Hohoe, which is mostly the Zongo and other communities by the riverside,” he said.
President Mahama expressed sympathy to residents whose homes and properties had been affected by the disaster and commended local authorities, traditional leaders and other stakeholders for their efforts to assist victims.
He said the government had also responded by providing relief items to support affected residents.
The President noted that the relief supplies were intended for people directly affected by the flooding and tasked the Hohoe Municipal Chief Executive, the Member of Parliament and the Volta Regional Minister with ensuring their fair distribution.
He further disclosed that the owner of Dzeta Cement, Mr. Ibrahim Mahama had pledged 5,000 bags of cement to assist residents whose houses were destroyed by the floods.
President Mahama’s visit formed part of efforts to support communities affected by the River Dayi overflow and provide immediate relief to victims.
Relief items
Volta Regional Minister James Gunu said the relief package included food, bedding, household supplies, sanitary products and building materials.
The items presented included 2,500 bags of 25kg rice, 700 bags of sugar, 500 bags of maize, 700 cartons of cooking oil, 50 cartons of biscuits and assorted food items.
The package also included 243 mattresses, 1,000 blankets, 200 curtains, 500 sleeping mats, 500 T-shirts, 500 plastic basins, 300 plastic buckets and 100 boxes of tissue paper.
Other relief items were 400 boxes of sanitary pads, 50 boxes of baby diapers, 300 boxes of liquid soap, 40 pairs of Wellington boots, 40 malaria rapid test kits and 100 packets of roofing sheets, among others.
The Regional Minister later clarified that the roofing sheets being provided amounted to 1,000 packets.
In addition, Members of Parliament in the area donated GH¢20,000 to support relief efforts, with the money to be administered by the MCE and the committee overseeing the distribution.
He expressed appreciation to President Mahama for his response to the disaster and said the people of the Volta Region remained grateful for the government’s support.
