Ecobank Ghana, last Tuesday, November 28, 2023, made donations worth over GHS200,000.00 to three communities in the Volta region affected by floods, following the spillage of the Akosombo and Kpong dams. The three beneficiary communities are Sopkoe in South Tongu District, New Bakpa Zorotodzi and Adidome, both in the Central Tongu District. The donated items included 5,730 bags of sachet water, 675 bags of 5kg rice, and 6 bales of used clothing. The bank also presented assorted medications to the two district hospitals, as part of the donations.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Dr D. Kasser Tee, Marketing and Corporate Communications Manager of Ecobank Ghana said; “The bank shares in the pain of the displaced people in the three communities who have had their livelihoods severely affected by the floods. Their homes are gone, they have no access to good healthcare and education for their children. It is in this regard that Ecobank Ghana, as a corporate entity, and its employees, mobilized resources for these donations. It is our contribution to efforts made by individuals, other corporate bodies and the state to help put smiles on the faces of the affected people.”
He further assured the 3 communities that Ecobank has always been a friend of the Volta Region and would go the extra mile to help restore livelihoods by contributing to ensure that normalcy returns to the affected villages. He made reference to November 2021, when Ecobank worked through the Ghana Association of Banks to provide support to the people of Keta at a time that people in many communities were displaced by tidal waves.
“Today, we have heard Torgbe Sakpiti V, chief of New Bakpa. His appeal was that the people of his chiefdom would love to be resettled away from the low-lying areas. I see this as a bigger desperate call by a traditional ruler and I will use this opportunity to call on other corporate organisations to come to the aid of the flood victims, especially in the case of communities that have been entirely swept away by the flood waters.”, concluded Dr Kasser Tee.
On his part, the District Coordinating Director of the Central Tongu District Assembly, Gabriel Adzago, who spoke on behalf of the District Chief Executive (Hon. Thomas Moore Zonyrah), expressed gratitude to Ecobank for the kind gesture and assured that the items would be distributed equitably among the victims, who are struggling in these difficult times. He debunked allegations that donated items usually do not get to victims, indicating that all items received so far have been given out to cushion the pains of the affected persons.
The District Chief Executive of South Tongu District Assembly, Hon. Seth Kwasi Agbi, also applauded the donations made by Ecobank and appealed for more relief items from like-minded corporate bodies. He further indicated that the assembly would work closely with the District NADMO Director and District Director of Health to ensure that the items reach only truly displaced people. He gave further assurances that the district hospital would ensure judicious use of the medications to treat sick people located in the various camps in Adidome, New Bakpa and others living in nearby villages.
