Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the North Tongu Member of Parliament, has said that he intends to sue the government on behalf of the people who were harmed by the Akosombo Dam disaster.
He claims that in spite of intensive attempts, nothing has been done to get government support for the thousands of people the tragedy uprooted, including new homes and assistance for those who lost property.
Speaking on JoyFM’s Newsnight on April 29, Mr. Ablakwa stated that eight months after the accident, the affected residents felt rejected and abandoned and that they should be compensated for their losses.
What he said:
“To be very sincere with you, we have begun discussions with our lawyers. We’ve done everything we can do in Parliament. We have filed motions, we’ve made statements, we’ve filed urgent questions and we have engaged ministers. It’s clear that this is a clear case of government abdicating and engaging in cruel neglect. So we are considering a class action,”.
“We are talking to our lawyers, and we want to take legal action to compel the government to be responsible and be responsive to the plight of the victims of this man-made disaster which they created. It appears that that’s the only realistic option we have now,”.
He said that some victims have homes now as a result of support from Ghanaians, NGOs, organisations and embassies.
“We were able to get two resettlements, housing 600 people. Where will all of these displaced people be? We are on the third project now, MP and partners projects, but there’s not much we can do. The catastrophe is on a large scale, we expect the government to carry out its mandate.”
Further on this story
The MP for North Tongu stated that it is unjust for the government to neglect its obligation to care for those who were unintentionally affected by the calamity.
Mr. Ablakwa continued, saying that they have not yet seen the interministerial committee that was formed to look into the occurrence in the villages and that they have not heard back regarding their request to be invited to the committee meeting.
The National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) reports that more than 27,000 individuals were displaced by the Volta River Authority’s (VRA) September 15, 2023 spill.
The spillage caused power outages in many communities near the lower Volta Basin. In response, the government allocated GH¢220 million in November 2023 to help those affected. President Akufo-Addo announced on Independence Day that GH¢80 million of that had been released for community rehabilitation. However, Mr. Ablakwa criticized the lack of transparency in how the GH¢80 million was spent, noting that the Housing Minister couldn’t provide clear answers when asked.
However, in advance of the by-election, he noted, the government has started a number of new initiatives in Ejisu.
He added:
The last time we heard from the Works and Housing Minister, the government was still doing an assessment to determine how much exactly would go, what sort of resettlement and low-cost housing they promised would happen. So, the last time the Works and Housing Minister visited, he told the chief that they should prepare the land, the government would soon arrive. That was about three weeks ago.”
“When the chief asked him for designs and if they could have a look at them for the housing project, he told the chief that the designs were not ready. So, it’s a very lackadaisical, nonchalant attitude. It’s as though, let’s pretend after many months when there is an outcry and they are reminded that they have an obligation, there is a constitutional mandate imposed on them, then, they come around,”
“How about fellow citizens, thousands of them, living in tents? They’ve lost everything. Farmers who cannot return to their farms because their farms were submerged, and they don’t have the means to return to their livelihoods.”
“They don’t want to remain beggars. Don’t want to remain people who are at the mercy of charity. They don’t want to continue to live in abject squalor,”
Read Also: High Court Rejects Suit Against Akufo-Addo On Anti-LGBTQ Bill
