Akosombo Dam Spillage: Battor Chief threatens to move victims to Saglemi

The Manklalo of the Battor Traditional Area, Togbe Borbordzi VII has hinted that he and his people who were recently displaced by floods due to the Akosombo Dam spillage may be forced to move to the Saglemi Affordable Housing unit if government does nothing drastic to resettle them.

According to him, victims of the floods continue to endure harsh conditions at the evacuation camps while schools and businesses remain shut.

Flood waters in most parts of the affected areas continue to recede drastically but concerns are rife over the accommodation situation of the victims who are currently being housed in safe havens.

Togbe Borbordzi VII made the comments at Agbetikpo, during a visit by the Tobinco Group of Companies, who presented them with several pharmaceutical products, food stuff and other relief items.

He said, “your coming is going to change a lot of things because a lot of people have been affected. You should extend this to the Presidency and the entire nation that we are suffering; we can’t replace our buildings again, many things are very expensive in this nation.”

“We need government’s assistance to make sure that they relocate us to a new site or quarters. We want a permanent place, we can’t continue to be beggars so the building at Saglemi, if government doesn’t do anything, we all are going to move and settle ourselves there till the day they get us a place,” the Manklalo added.

Agbetikpo is one of the communities which currently holds over 1000 victims of the floods.

Executive Chairman of the Tobinco Group of Companies, Nana Samuel Tobin while presenting the relief items on behalf of the group, added his voice to call and urged government to find a lasting solution to the plights of the victims.

Member of Parliament for the area, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa in his address, expressed gratitude to the group and the entire Ghanaian public for their support.

He noted, “We have enjoyed enormous goodwill from Ghanaians and I would want to say that is assuring and gives hope to our that Ghanaians are with them in the time of need.”

Meanwhile, District Chief Executive for North Tongu, Osborn Fenu is appealing to the locals not to move back into their buildings yet as the water recedes.

The DCE believes the structural integrity of the buildings (submerged under water) is compromised which requires technical assessment to determine whether it is safe for the residents.