By Samuel SAM
World Vision Ghana (WVG), a Christian relief, development and advocacy organisation, has distributed 300 bags of fertiliser and 10 bags of maize seedlings to flood-affected farmers at Salaga in the East Gonja Municipality (EGMA) of Savannah Region.
The gesture is aimed at encouraging affected farmers’ return to their farming businesses so they can contribute to national food security.
The beneficiaries are from communities including Tailorkope, Kodome, Gbetokpo, Awudzakope, Kopevikope, Dzagbamtsekope, Gbolokope, Sobokope, Abelekope Afinyakope, Sodzakope, Old Mankango and New Mankango.
Northern Regional Operational Manager, WVG Francis Gumah, said his outfit is focused on helping the most vulnerable – especially children and women – overcome poverty and experience fullness of life.
“As an international partnership of Christians whose mission is to follow our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, we work with the poor and oppressed to promote human transformation, seek justice and bear witness to the good news of the Kingdom of God,” he added.
“When we heard about the issues in the municipality, we quickly reached out to partners in the districts to identify communities and the figures affected and saw the need to quickly intervene,” he said.
“We have also provided other packages, which include 200 pieces of smart toilet holes to households, 100 washing equipment, 100 commercial dustbins and 1,500 boxes of water purifiers,” he stated.
The provision of farm inputs was to encourage vulnerable farmers’ return to their farms to engage in crop production and feed the family, society and nation.
Mr. Gumah appealed for other agencies, organisations and philanthropists to complement efforts aiomed at helping sustain livelihoods in the area.
Mr. Richard Broni, East Gonja Municipal Chief Executive – represented by Ibrahim Abu, Deputy Director EGMA, commended WVG for their contributions toward empowering vulnerable communities in the area, and expressed the Assembly’s readiness to partner other organisations in promoting sustainable development.
“Your continuous support has helped to mitigate the plight of those affected by Volta spillage in the district,” he said.
Mr. Alhassan Suraj, EGMA Director-National Disaster Management Organisation, commended World Vision Ghana for the support, saying it had contributed significantly to mitigating the severity of flood-effects on victims.
He said measures are being put in place that prepare communities to stay alert in the event of similar floods in future, thus minimising their adverse impact on affected communities.
Hafisu Issahaku, Assemblyman Gbetekpo Electoral area, said the support from WVG to the farmers will help to improve those affected’s livelihoods.
Recounting a similar gesture to victims of the Abosombo Dam spillage, Mr. Gumah said: “We did some assessment and identified their needs. Once we did that, we quickly moved in to support them”.
Explaining further, he said: “We provided them with water-purifiers so they were able to purify their water for both commercial and domestic use.
“In fact, after providing the purifiers we realised that we could not just end there because people were displaced – they needed shelter and we therefore collaborated with the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to relocate residents and provide them with 800 bags of cement and one tonne of iron rods.”
