Flood: Retract your comments, apologise to flood victims – V/R NDC tells Freda Prempeh

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Volta Region has condemned comments made by the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Freda Prempeh, blaming victims of the recent Akosombo and Kpong dams’ spillage for their circumstances.

“We mince no words in outrightly reprehending such a callous and unsympathetic stance, which only serves to exacerbate the pain and suffering of the affected individuals and communities,” the Volta NDC said in a statement issued on Wednesday, 25 October 2023, signed by its Regional Chairman, Mawutor Agbavitor.

According to the Volta NDC, it was expecting the Sanitation Minister to cease the platform provided by the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) event to “appease the residents of the hardest-hit communities at the back of the President's unfortunate utterances on the situation when he paid a reluctant visit.

“However, typical of Nana Addo's appointees, she heartlessly chose to emulate her appointor.”

It noted that: “In the wake of this catastrophic flood disaster that has left countless families displaced and in distress, we expect all well-meaning individuals to deem it a time for sobriety, unity, empathy, and deliberate constructive rescue actions.

“Instead, the Minister has chosen to unfairly point fingers at those who are already enduring immense hardship. This certainly is not the sort of leadership our nation needs during such an avoidable crisis.”

It stressed that the victims of the flood who are also Ghanaians, deserve “support, assistance, and compassion, not accusation or condemnation or blame.

“The government of the day should be seen to be working diligently at providing relief, assistance, and resources to help these communities recover from the devastation that they have endured thus far.”

The Volta Regional NDC therefore called on the Sanitation Minister to “retract her insensitive comments and issue a formal apology to the flood victims and their families.

It continued that it would hold government to “accountability” by ensuring all victims of the flood are fully compensated.

-classfmonline