The Catholic Diocese of Koforidua yesterday donated relief items to flood victims of communities in the North Tongu and Shai Osudoku districts who were affected by the Akosombo and Kpong dams spillage.
Vicar General of the Diocese, Monsignor Francis Twum Barimah, who led the team on a visit, did not disclose the value of the items, but said it included bags of rice, packs of toiletries, sacks of second-hand clothes, footwear and packs of drugs.
He said, the donation was to lessen the plight of the flood victims who have been occupying a six-unit classroom in their area as safe haven, as they waited for long term sustainable intervention from government.
On behalf of the church, he expressed the church’s sympathy to the victims and reiterated the need for the public to come to their aid.
“Ours is to provide relief for the affected victims as we pray for them,” Monsignor Barimah stated.
He said the items would help to support them for a while and hoped that the government would come to their aid soon.
Monsignor Barimah urged the victims to leave the banks or buffer zones of the river for their own safety and urged them to cooperate with government as it maps out interventions.
He urged the government to provide long lasting relocation support to flood victims.
He said government should ensure the long term solution were sustainable to break the cycle of the impact of flood and spillage from the dams.
For his part, the Assemblyman for the Dorfor-Adidome Electoral Area, one of the districts, Mr Kofi Tse Aziator, expressed his appreciation to the church for the kind gesture.
He said the items would enable the victims live normally in the face of the challenge.
He noted that the unfortunate incident has had a great toll on them and called on corporate institutions, philanthropists and government to come to their aid.
FROM AMA TEKYIWAA AMPADU AGYEMAN, KOFORIDUA