Bishop of the Keta-Akatsi Catholic Diocese in the Volta Region, Most Rev. Gabriel Edoe Kumordjie, has commended corporate bodies, charity and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), individuals as well as institutions across the length and breadth of the country and outside for the support so far extended to the flood victims in the Volta Region and beyond.
He also thanked the government for the budgetary allocation of Two Hundred and Twenty Million (Ghc220m) Cedis to provide relief support to the flood victims.
Bishop Kumordjie made the commendation during the presentation of cash and assorted relief items by the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and Caritas to flood victims at the Adidome camp in the Central Tongu district of the Volta Region.
The Adidome Farm Institute is one of the thirteen (13) havens being used in the Central Tongu district to provide shelter for the more than eight thousand (8,000) flood victims in the district, occasioned by the recent spillage of the Akosombo and Kpong dams.
The latest distribution of relief items from the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and Caritas Ghana reached Two Hundred (200) households from Mafi Adidome and other camps dotted within the Volta Region and beyond.
In all, seventy (70) wash stations have been procured for several of these camps. Each household also received four (4) gallons for storing water, Two Hundred (200) pieces of aquatabs, used clothing, soft drinks for the children, toiletries, as well as a cash donation of One Thousand, Three Hundred Ghana Cedis (Ghc1,300). Of this amount, Two Hundred and Thirty Cedis (Ghc230) was to take care of the sanitary needs of the women in the household space.
A total of fifty-one (51) households, translating into some Two Hundred Fifty-Five (255) victims, received support from the CRS and Caritas Ghana as part of their contribution to alleviating the suffering of the victims.
Bishop of the Keta-Akatsi Catholic Diocese, Most Rev. Gabriel Edoe Kumordjie, thanked Ghanaians, including corporate Ghana, charity and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) as well as individuals and the government for the support so far extended to the flood victims in the Volta Region and beyond. He called on the government, in particular, to ensure that the budgetary allocation gets to the actual victims to alleviate their suffering and pain.
On the CRS and Caritas support, Bishop Kumordjie noted that the gesture signaled to the people and victims that the Catholic Church stood by them and would continue to provide help when needed. ‘Our presence here is to demonstrate to any humanity where there is a disaster that we are there for them. We cannot replace all that they have lost, but the gesture demonstrates that we are still thinking about them, Most Rev. Kumordjie emphasized.
Country Representative of the CRS, Mr. Daniel Mumuni, described the situation of the flood victims as very worrying. According to him, where people live outside the comfort of their homes and houses, and school children are absent from school, is unfortunate.
Mr. Mumuni was hopeful that the relevant state institutions and the government would find a sustainable and long-lasting solution to the disaster so come next year, the country would not be discussing the same issue again. ‘It requires stakeholder dialogue around those that have been affected and what plans can be made well in advance so next year, we are not in this destitute situation again’, the Country Representative pointed out.
Mr. Mumuni gave assurance that the CRS would continue to look at the needs of these affected communities to incubate programmes that can support their livelihood improvement. This, in his view, would enable the victims to feel safe where their existence can be sustained so they can be fully involved in their economic activities which can enable them to live comfortably and thrive in that respect.
The National Director of CRS-Caritas, Ghana, Mr. Thomas Awiapo, was hopeful that more organizations and individuals would provide further support to the victims to relieve their pain and suffering. He likened the support of CRS and Caritas to the flood victims to the parable of the five (5) loaves of bread and the three (3) fishes that Jesus Christ used to feed the huge multitudes of people in the Bible, praying that many more people would follow suit to share more goodies with the victims.
The CRS is one of Ghana’s longest-serving international development organizations that run programmes in the areas of agriculture, water and sanitation, health, youth programming, and peacebuilding amongst others. Caritas, on the other hand, is the humanitarian arm of the Catholic Church. It practically responds to humanitarian crises such as natural disasters, conflicts as well as the effects of climate change. Caritas also saves lives, relieves suffering, and helps rebuild livelihoods and communities in the longer term.
