The Member of Parliament for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini, has criticized the government’s decision to allocate GH¢220 million toward providing relief for the communities affected by the Akosombo Dam spillage and floods in the Oti, Savannah, and Bono-East Regions.
Suhuyini described the announcement, made by the Minister of Finance during the 2024 budget presentation to Parliament on Wednesday, November 15, as insulting and shameful.
Ofori-Atta, in his presentation last Wednesday, disclosed that the government is approaching the affected people’s plight in two phases: the relief phase and the restoration phase, committing GH¢220 million to the former.
“Mr. Speaker, the Government has budgeted an amount of GH¢220 million to support the relief phase for the communities affected by the Akosombo spillage as well as floods upstream in the Oti, Savannah, and Bono-East Regions,” Ofori-Atta stated.
Suhuyini disagreed with the government and demanded immediate action to help the people.
He told Selorm Adonoo on The Big Issue on Citi FM/Citi TV that it is nauseating that the government is demanding praise for making the announcement in the budget. He intimated that if there is any institution that needs commendation, then it is Citi FM/Citi TV and not “the inept and insensitive NPP government.”
“For the government to come and announce this belated intention of allocating money that is now to be raised is an insult and deserves criticism. It is an insult to the people who have been suffering all these years. Our government must be more responsible. Even when they make these allocations, you wonder if they will ever be released.”
Read Also >>> GOVT’S NEGLECT OF AKOSOMBO DAM SPILLAGE FLOOD VICTIMS DISHEARTENING – ABLAKWA
The Member of Parliament for North Tongu in the Volta Region, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, is calling on the government to utilize the Contingency Fund to provide relief to people affected by the spillage of the Akosombo Dam.
Ablakwa, in an Eyewitness News interview with Selorm Adonoo on Citi FM, intimated that the Contingency Fund was purposely created in anticipation of disasters, such as the resultant destruction caused by the Akosombo Dam’s spillage hence the government should, therefore, not hesitate to use the Fund to provide the necessary relief for the affected people.
“There is a reason why, in every budget anywhere in the world, there is a line item called the contingency fund. For the current budget we are operating, we approved a contingency fund of GH¢600 million in the budget. The question I ask is, where is all that money? This is a clear case of emergency for which the Contingency Fund qualifies to be used, and so where is the GH¢600 million?”
He also bemoaned the inhumane conditions under which the affected people are living and highlighted that there is no need to wait for another budget cycle to include a relief package for the affected people when there is a fund that can readily be used.
“We don’t need to wait for the next budget cycle. I was in the House when we approved the 2023 budget in November, and we put as much as GH¢600 million in the Contingency Fund. It is for things like these.
Read Also >>> DEVASTATING EFFECTS OF AKOSOMBO DAM SPILLAGE: THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED! – TORGBE AFEDE
