Monthly Archives: September 2007

THE GHANAIAN TIMES
TUESDAY 18 SEPTEMBER, 2007
FLOODS DISPLACE 50,000 AT BUILSA
STURY BY: A. A. MBORD, SANDEMA
 
The wake of the prolonged rainstorms in parts of the three northern regions, the Builsa District Chief Executive, Kofi Alonsi, says the district needs urgent supply of tent to accommodate over 50,000 flood victims and he is appealing to relief organizations, philanthropists and the international community to help.
 
He said the victims are currently sharing classrooms with pupils following the reopening of schools last week. He told the Times during a visit to the Local Queen Elizabeth Primary School that in the mornings, the victims push their belongings the corner of the classrooms to enable the children to rearrange their tables and chairs for classes.
 
The Times observed that while the classes were in progress, the displaced persons including children and the aged loitered in the premises, a situation not conducive for teaching and learning.
 
The situation is the same at Daweo and Pobaga, both in the Bolgatanga municipality.
 
An old woman, Akantulsi Adagabe, said, “I do not know whether I will die here or get a house again before I die. There is no hope in sight because the relief items, especially the food ration, are so small that we have to deny ourselves food for the children to survive.”
 
Mr. Alonsi said the district assembly is ensuring that relief items so far received, including, 120 bags of rice, 199 bags of millet, 37 cartons of cooking oil, five packet of roofing nails, 10 packets of roofing sheets, 140 lanterns, some plastic plates and cups are given to those severely hit.
 
The DCE said that if the tents do not arrive on time, the situation could result in loss of lives
 
Mr. Emmanuel Chegeweh, the Kassena NanKana DCE, lamented over the fact that not much could be done to relieve the pain of the victims as the rains have not ceased, adding that it is not adding that it is not possible to start rebuilding now.
 
He however said that the assembly has voted ₵42 million for immediate procurement of relief items and also procured chloride to disinfect the wells, dams and boreholes to ensure that the people drink whole some water.
 

DAILY GRAPHIC
TUESDAY 18 SEPTEMBER, 2007
FACT-FINDING TEAM ON TOUR OF DISASTER AREAS IN 3 NORTHERN REGIONS.
STORY BY: TIMOTHY GOBAH.
 
An assessment team, including Ministers of State and Government officials, left Accra yesterday on a three-day visit to the three northern regions to evaluate the disaster situation in the area.
 
Also accompanying the team were personnel from the UN system, non-government organisations, religious bodies and private sector and the media.
The team is led by the minister of interior, Mr. Kwamena Bartels. Other members include Mr. Frank Agyekum, a Deputy Minister of Information and National Orientation; Mr. Dauda Toure, Resident Co-ordinator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); and Mr Ernest Debrah, the Minister of Food and Argiculture.
 
The ministers of the three northern regions and technocrats were also part of the team. Others include officials of the Ghana Employers Association (GEA).
 
Explaining the rationale behind the visit, Mr. Agyekum said it was being organized to enable all stakeholders to have first-hand information about the disaster situation and the plight of the victims in three regions.
 
He said it was an opportunity for the minister of the interior to brief all partners and give them the opportunity to acquaint themselves with the challenges of the disaster and what the government was doing to deal with the situation.
Torrential rains over a fortnight ago, coupled with the spillage of water from a dam along the White and Black Volta in Burkina Faso, resulted in the flooding that killed eight people and displaced up to 40,000 residents.
 
Several acres of farm lands in one of the biggest food baskets of the country have been submerged in the flooding which kept raisin by the day. Some bridges in the area also collapsed, rendering most roads impassable.
The situation is such that it is feared that there may be famine in the area, which is also likely to affect southern parts of the country.
 

DAILY GRAPHIC
TUESDAY 18 SEPTEMBER, 2007
3 KILLED IN KONKOMBA, BIMOBA CONFLICT
STORY BY: CINCENT ADEDZE, TAMALE.
 
The protracted conflict between Konkombas and the Bimobas in the Northern Region erupted last Sunday leaving in its wake three persons dead and many others injured.
 
The reporter reaching the Daily Graphic also said a number of houses in various communities were burnt and properties running into billions of cedis destroyed and /or looted.
 
The Police, under the command of the Northern Regional Commander, Mr. Ephraim Brakatu, have since moved to the areas to take control and to restore calm.
According to the sources, the renewed conflict arose from a misunderstanding arose from a Bimoba man and a Konkomba man at the Jimbali market in the district.
 
Three houses in the Jimbali area were reported burnt immediately after the conflict erupted.
The situation degenerated when other believed to be from the two ethnic group in contention, mobilized themselves and attacked one another after news went round that their kinsmen were involved in a fight at the market.
 
Source at the Bureau of Investigations (BNI) that confirmed the story, however, told the Daily Graphic in Tamale yesterday that the security agencies were yet to ascertain the remote and immediate causes of the disturbances.
The sources further said the extent of the damage to property was yet to be known and that the BNI was in the process of confirming casualties that resulted from the disturbances.
 
Members of the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) also meet yesterday and adopted measures to forestall further disturbances in the area.