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THE GHANAIAN TIMES
MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2007
RELIEF GOODS UNDER LOCK
STORY BY:  JAKUBU ABDUL-MAJEED, SABOBA
For the past four weeks, relief items for flood victims at chereponi in the Northern Region have not reached the beneficiaries due to the unavailability of transport to convey the items.
The items are still locked up at the NADMO Disaster Warehouse at Saboba.
The District Assembly and the District Disaster Committee have reportedly not been able to get fuel for vehicles to convey the items to affected areas.
Deputy Coordinating Director of Saboba/Chereponi District, Osman Nusah, who disclosed this said, there is also no money to buy fuel.
He said this on Thursday when briefing the National Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), Douglas Asiedu Akrofi, during a visit to the district to assess the distribution of the relief items, Krani Maturn Joshua, the District NADMO Coordinator, said relief items received from the World Food Programme (WFP) are still locked up in the warehouse due to lack of vehicles and fuel.
He said bad roads are another impediment.
He therefore appealed to the government and other development partners to assist NADMO to reach the victims who are in dire need of the items.
Mr. Joshua further appealed for building materials, saying that many of the victims need them to rebuild their houses.
Mr. Aseidu Akrofi was unhappy that the items had not reached the flood victims.
He, however, gave the assurance that the district NADMO officers would be given the necessary support to get the items to the communities.
He also urged non-governmental organisations and benevolent societies to assist the NADMO coordinators to transport the items to the affected areas.
The times later learnt that many other districts were facing similar problems including central Gonja and some communities in “Overseas” in the West Mamprusi District.

THE ACCRA DAILY MAIL
WENDESDAY OCTOBER 17, 2007
FLOOD VICTIMS, GHANAIANS CONTINUE TO SHOW SOLIDARITY
 
The general Ghanaian public continues to show sympathy for the victims of the flooding in the three northern regions. The chairman of the Guarantee Trust Bank, Alhaji Ibrahim Yusif and the paramount chief and elders of the Asogli Traditional Council, Togbe Afede have made separate donations to support the victims.
Alhaji Yusif donated an amount of three thousand Ghana cedis while the Paramount Chief and elders of the Asogli State donated two thousand Ghana cedis and forty bags of rice.
The donations were received by the Chairman of the Northern Development Forum, Alhaji Hakeem Wemah.
Alhaji Wemah said they will make sure the donations are sent to the victims of the flood disaster to make life easier for them.
At a separate ceremony, the Bethel Branch of the Seventh Day Adventist, SDA, at Osu also presented items worth seven-point-five million Ghana cedis to assist the flood victims. The presentation which includes second hand clothes, shoes and bags is an initiative of the Women’s Ministry of the Church.
The Pastor of the Bethel Brach, Emmanuel Odenkey Abbey, who presented the items on behalf of the ministry, called on all religious bodies who prayed for the rains, to go to the aid of the victims.
Receiving the items, the Director of Administration, GBC, Alhaji Hamidu Chodi, who is also a member of the Public Affairs and Publicity Committee of the Northern Development Forum, thanked the ministry for its kind gesture and urged them to extend the good will to other needy people in the country.
The northern part of the Ghana last month, hit by flood after heavy and persistent rainfall. Almost 60,000 farms including crops and livestock were lost while food processing facilities were submerged. There are about 300,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) and about 75,000 people at risk of malnutrition. The immediate needs of the victims include food, access to safe drinking water, health and shelter. The resultant ecological changes may have a negative impact on future agriculture production in the three regions which were already in a very poor state without the floods.
 

ACCRA DAILY MAIL
NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT FORUM ESTABLISHES FUND
OCTOBER 5, 2007
THE FOLLOWING IS A PRESS RELEASE ISSUED YESTERDAY BY THE NDF
 
The Northern Development Forum (NDF) wishes to express its gratitude and appreciation to all those who, following its appeal recently, have given financial and material support to the victims of the floods in the three northern regions of Ghana.
 
At the maiden meeting of the Forum last Sunday (September 30, 2007) one hundred and fifty three million (C153m) cedis was realized. Consequently, the Forum has established a fund known as the Northern Relief Fund to manage financial contributions. The following accounts have been opened at the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB)
 
ADB House, Accra:
Cedis Account Number: 1161000002986
US Dollar Account: 1162000000348
 
Auditors have also been appointed.
The fund will be managed by one person from each of the three northern regions. They include Mr. Adam Sulley for the Upper West Region; Mrs. Susana Mahama for the Upper East Region and Dr. Hafez Adam Taher, Northern Region. It is under the Chairmanship of Dr. Hakim Wemah.
 
Ten members from each of the three regions have also been selected to serve on the committees:
Fund Raising and Finance
Reconstruction
Public Affairs
Data Bank and Research
 
Following the heavy floods that have hit the three region of the northern part of Ghana and the havoc caused in their wake, a group of like-minded people saw the need to meet in order to come up with measures to help the flood victims in the short-term and to consider drawing up a more comprehensive long-term plan and strategies for finding sustainable solutions to the distressed situation of the three regions.
 
Statistics from official sources indicate that 56 people have died; about 300,000 internally displaced people (IDP), 35,000 houses collapsed and almost 60,000 farms have been destroyed. More than 500km of roads and a number of bridges have been affected. A large amount of agricultural product and livestock have also been lost. The floods have affected drinking water supply and the health of the people in the three regions. Famine will be very severe particularly in the dry season if mitigating measures are not taken immediately.
 
The Forum’s main concern is to contribute financially and materially to support the relief programme in the affected areas, in collaboration with non-governmental organisations, religious bodies, and development partners in an effort to complement the work of the Government to Ghana. For a more efficient and effective management of the Relief items the Forum is appealing to the Government of Ghana to establish committees or task forces, on the regional, district and local council levels, comprising NADMO, religious bodies, political parties, NGO’s and representatives of traditional rulers for a more coordinated and transparent distribution of relief items.
 
The Forum will present a memo to the Government of Ghana on suggested comprehensive reconstruction programme to be put in place for better development of the three regions, particularly in the areas of housing, industry, agriculture, construction of dams for dry season farming, education, health, roads and transport.
 
The Forum wishes to register its appreciation to the Government of Ghana, development partners, diplomatic missions, NGO’s religious bodies, the private business sector and individuals who have been providing relief to the victims of the floods.
 
We do express our solidarity with and sympathies to the people of other parts of Ghana and elsewhere in Africa who have been affected by the floods.
 
The Forum is not political, tribal, or religious; it is a Forum of all Northerners and friends of the three Northern Regions of Ghana.
 

THE GHANAIAN TIMES
TUESDAY 2ND OCTOBER 2007
NORTHERN CITIZENS BAG ₵153 MILLION FOR HOME
STORY BY: Times Reporter.
Northern citizens in Accra at a crisis meeting on Saturday to discuss the flood situation in the three northern regions of Ghana, succeeded in raising ₵153 million to support distressed compatriots.
A total of ₵100 million out of the amount was contributed by the members of parliament from the three northern regions from all the political parties. The meeting held at the GBC Club House, also agreed on constituting three committees of 10 citizens from each of the three regions to oversee the reconstruction of the three regions.
The groups are to hold a joint meeting today in Accra. The Sunday meeting also identified and discussed areas that require urgent attention and how to help flood victims in the short-term and a more comprehensive long term plan.
The chairman for the function, Dr. H.A. Wemah, appealed to northerners to rise up to the situation and contribute materially and financially towards the welfare of the flood victims. He stressed that the meeting was neither political, tribal nor religious but one to help northerners find solution to the problem.
“We should not allow politics to divide us because we are one people,” he said. Mr. Ben Assorow, a member of the organizing committee, said the magnitude of disaster coupled with the prevailing poverty levels, are staring the indigenes in the face.
He said with commitment, dedication and a sense of purpose, “we will be able to make meaningful contributions to the development of the north-our-mother-land.”
He therefore urged all Ghanaians to stand up to the challenge by contributing financially and materially to the victims.
Mr. Assorow commended the government, its development partners and all organizations and institutions which have so far supported the flood victims.
Among personalities who spoke at the meeting were Emmanuel Bounbande, Executive Director or the West African Network for Peace-Building and Dr. Edmund Delle, a dermatologist and National Chairman of the Convention Peoples party (CPP).
 
 

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.