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Slow down Akosombo dam spillage to help evacuation efforts – Ablakwa to VRA
The Member of Parliament (MP) for the North Tongu Constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has urged the Volta River Authority (VRA) to slow down the spillage of the Akosombo dam to allow for the safe evacuation of residents.
The spillage of the dam has caused widespread flooding in the Tongu districts, displacing thousands of people and destroying homes and businesses.
The VRA in September cautioned residents downstream of Akosombo and Kpong dams to be alert and take precautionary measures following a controlled spillage in the coming days.
This was due to the consistent rise in the water level of the two dams as a result of the continuous rains recently.
But Mr Ablakwa in an interview on Eyewitness News on Citi FM on Wednesday urged “the VRA to slow down the discharge a bit to make sure that all our compatriots are relocated to higher ground. Because of the strength, it is causing a lot of devastation.”
He added that the situation was a difficult one and used the opportunity to call for relief items for the affected people.
Also, the MP for the Central Tongu Constituency, Alexander Roosevelt described as precarious the situation his constituency was in, following the spillage of the dam.
He said that a total of 30 communities in his constituency had been affected and that he was currently visiting them to assess the level of damage and how to address it.
“My brother the situation is very precarious … Houses are submerged, even electricity is affected… People are hungry. Everywhere is submerged. To be frank, when you get here when you step on the ground you will be sinking. So the situation is very precarious, and I have 30 communities in my constituency affected, and I am visiting them one by one,” he stated.
Confucius Caradox Bedzina, Central Tongu Youth Leader called on the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) as well as other well-meaning Ghanaians to send in some relief items to help abate the plights of the affected.
Source : Citinewsroom.com
Ghana’s First Lady, Lordina Mahama, has made a generous donation to the country’s national female Under-17 and Under-20 teams – Black Maidens and Black Princesses- as they continue preparations for major international assignments.
The donation, made on Friday, May 22, was presented on behalf of the First Lady by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, at the GFA Technical Centre in Prampram.
The gesture forms part of efforts to motivate and support Ghana’s young female footballers as they prepare to represent the country on the international stage.
The donation included essential food items and toiletries aimed at supporting the welfare and well-being of the players and technical teams.
The donation included cartons of Milo, T-rolls, soft drinks, toiletries, and a range of essential supplies aimed at supporting the welfare of the players, enhancing camp conditions, and easing preparations ahead of their respective assignments.
The Black Maidens are currently engaged in preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers and are set to take on Liberia women’s national under-17 football team in the second-leg encounter in Liberia this weekend.
Meanwhile, the Black Princesses have already secured qualification to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after overcoming Uganda in the qualifiers, extending Ghana’s remarkable record to eight consecutive appearances at the tournament.
The donation by the First Lady was expected to boost morale within both camps while reinforcing national support for the young female footballers who continue to make the country proud.
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
