The President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has expressed gratitude to individuals and corporate institutions for their prompt support to victims of the Akosombo and Kpong Dam spillage.
According to him, the reaction of Ghanaians especially the various groups displayed the competence and confidence of the people to disaster response systems which has been tested to the full.
“I must say every Ghanaian have performed creditably well, especially the professional competence displayed by the Military and other security agencies who lived up to their roles to defend the nation at all times of crises,” he said.
The President made these remarks at the 61st Annual Hogbetsotso festival of the Chiefs and people of Anlo in the Southern part of the Volta Region on Saturday.
The event was on the theme: ‘Climate Change, A challenge to Lands Below sea level a concern of the Anlo State and the and stakeholders.’
The President also commended journalists who had done their duties by keeping the nation informed, although some media outlet published fake news thus inciting some people against the government.
He also gave credit to the country’s health managers who did everything possible to discredit false reports of diarrhea, cholera and Bilharzia in the affected areas.
“It was important to say none of these things happened by chance as the government worked tirelessly with the inter-ministerial committee and the police to resolve the crises.
“I pay homage to the many private sector and ordinary citizens who made donations and offers help in various ways to assist government’s efforts in making life comfortable for the people,” he said.
President Akufo-Addo commended the chiefs and people of Anlo for extending their love to other regions during their festivals especially this year, with the invitation of the King of Dagbon, Ya-Na Abubakari Mahama II.
The Awoamefia of Anlo Togbi Sri III, said the overload of the Dagbon Kingdom was especially invited to cement the long standing friendship between the Anlo State, Asante and Dagbon Kingdoms explaining that the good people of these three kingdoms and others nationwide deserved to be united for peace and prosperity of the country.
The Hogbetsotso festival he stated was not only celebrated to commemorate the historic exodus of their forebears, but to also perform the various customary rites, especially the cleansing of the land, reconciliation with one another as well as work for the socio-economic development of the Anlo State.
Togbi Sri appealed to the president to spearhead the dredging of the Keta Lagoon to improve aqua culture productively, construct the Keta Harbour, the Keta and Srogboe Coastal roads as well as the Anyako to Seva roads among others.
He commended the Municipal Chief Executives of Keta, Ketu South and Anloga and other noble citizens and engineers who contributed in cash to remove the sand bar to allow the Keta Lagoon to flow into the sea in order to reduce the flooding in the area.
The overlord of Dagbon, Ya-Na Mahama commended President Akufo-Addo for gracing the occasion and the Awoamefia Togbi Sri for the land mark invitation that would forever remain in the history books of the two Kingdoms.
Ya-Na Mahama urged the people to protect their cultural heritage and the rites prior to the Hogbetsotso festival which he said must be emulated by other communities
FROM LAWRENCE VOMAFA-AKPALU, ANLOGA