Compensate, resettle Mepe flood victims – Chief
The Manklalo of the Mepe Traditional Area, Togbe Korsi Nego VI, has appealed to the government and President John Dramani Mahama to urgently compensate and resettle victims of the Akosombo and Kpong dams’ spillage.
He said although emergency relief had been provided to the affected people, many victims were still struggling to rebuild their lives, with several families remaining emotionally vulnerable while farmers and traders continued to face hardship.
Togbe Nego made the appeal at a durbar to climax activities marking the 70th Afenorto Festival of the chiefs and people of the Mepe Traditional Area at Mepe in the North Tongu District of the Volta Region on Saturday.
The festival was held on the theme: ‘Mepe at 70: Unity, Investment, and Sustainable Development.’
The chief said underlined that floods had destroyed homes, businesses, farms, fishing equipment and livestock, wiping out years of hard work and leaving some victims homeless and still living under tattered tents.
He appealed to the government not to forget the flood victims of Mepe and called for interventions to support long-term recovery and reconstruction.
On compensation, Togbe Nego mentioned that the affected people had yet to receive the needed compensation.
“Our people are hardworking, we are not asking for charity, we are asking for the opportunity to rebuild our lives and restore the dignity that was taken away by circumstances beyond our control,” he stressed.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, said the government was implementing a number of development projects in the area to improve the living conditions of people in the constituency.
He outlined road construction, education and health infrastructure, as well as the promotion of agriculture, as some of the interventions being undertaken.
Mr Ablakwa said 6,000 bags of fertiliser would be distributed to 123 farmer groups and individual farmers, while farmers would also benefit from free ploughing services.
He said the Mepe health facility had been equipped with modern equipment and provided with doctors and nurses.
He further announced that two additional hospitals at Fodzoku and Volo would soon be completed to help address the health needs of the people.
On education, Mr Ablakwa said the government had prioritised infrastructure development at the Mepe St Kizito Senior High Technical School, where dormitories and classroom blocks were being constructed.
FROM SAMUEL AGBEWODE, MEPE
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