The Member of Parliament for Ketu South, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has vehemently denied allegations suggesting that she and two other MPs in the southern part of the Volta Region received relief items from the Volta River Authority (VRA).
Madam Gomashie clarified that the circulated news is false and misleading, emphasizing that neither she nor Kwame Sefe (MP for Anlo) nor Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpey (MP for Keta) have received any such items from the VRA.
She took the opportunity to provide context to a photo associated with the claims, explaining the nature of the activities she and the other two MPs were engaged in.
Madam Gomashie further clarified that any relief items received were directed to Municipal and District Chief Executives (MCEs and DCEs) and officials from the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO).
“We have come across a news item published in Opera News on the above subject matter, which purported that the Volta River Authority (VRA) has donated some relief items to flood victims in three constituencies in the Volta Region and received by us, namely Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie, MP of Ketu South; Hon. Kwame Sefe, MP for Anlo and Hon. Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpey.
“The picture accompanying the story is misleading, as the two Members of Parliament were there to witness the arrival of the goods but have not received the said donation for their constituencies. We only signed for medications which the Directors of Municipal and District Health Officials received on behalf of their hospitals,” she wrote in an official statement.
Dzifa Gomashie emphasized that the public should dismiss the circulated news item and view it with disdain. She underscored the individual initiatives undertaken by herself and her colleagues from the affected communities to provide relief to their constituents.
Madam Gomashie reiterated that, since the Akosombo Dam spillage leading to floods, there has been no instance where the Volta River Authority (VRA), responsible for the floods, has provided any relief support to them.
“We wish to state emphatically, that, this publication and its claims are false, and must be treated with the contempt it deserves.
“Since numerous communities in our respective constituencies got flooded as a result of the spillage of the Volta Dams in Akosombo and Kpong by the VRA. We have personally been out there mobilizing through the help of individuals and organizations to obtain relief items for our people. At no point in all these efforts, have we had the VRA donate any items to us as Members of Parliament for onward distribution to the fond victims in our respective constituencies,” she added.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, has announced, through the 2024 Budget Statement and Economic Policy, that the government has committed GH¢220 to take of reliefs for the affected persons in the Volta Region, as well as some other regions affected by floods in the country.
“Honourable Speaker, government has budgeted an amount of GH¢220 million to support the relief phase for the communities affected by he Akosombo Spillage, as well as floods upstream in the Oti, Savannah, and Bono East Regions,” he said.