The Member of Parliament (MP) for the Ho Central Constituency, Benjamin Komla Kpodo, has said the Ho Central Constituency does not have a functioning National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) office to properly carry out its mandate of supporting victims of natural disasters.
According to him, NADMO, in the Ho Central Constituency, has not lived up to its mandate in terms of support, as a lot of natural disasters have happened in the recent past.
The MP speaking on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, July 12, 2023, was unhappy about the state agency’s inadequate response to victims of natural disasters in his constituency.
“Over the weekend, precisely on Saturday, July 08, 2023, disaster struck in the city of Ho. An unusually heavy downpour resulted in huge floods that in their wake brought about untold destruction of domestic and commercial property. Buildings collapsed and their contents washed away. Affected residents escaped from their homes and stood outside and they watched helplessly as floods floated away their belongings,” the lawmaker narrated.
He added: “Flood water invaded some residents’ bedrooms destroying their personal belongings. Several houses, especially those near drains, were demolished by the ravaging floods rendering many homeless. Indeed, this particular flood disaster was historic in Ho. We, however, thank God that no life was lost. Yet our sympathies go to the individuals affected, especially Madam Awonye who lost her business building and wares to the flood.”
He said in the recent past, some schools and health centers have had their roofs ripped off. However, the response from NADMO was very appalling and left him wondering if the office really exits to execute its mandates.
“This is not the first major disaster in the Ho Municipality. Rainstorms have ripped off public and private buildings in Sokode, Hõdzo, Kpenõe, Achiase, Shia and Ho Regional Model School in the recent past. However, the history of response to such occurrences by [the] state agency is rather appalling. No help has come to victims of the Sokode, Hõdzo, Kpenoe, Achiase, Shia and the Ho Regional Model School to date. I do not know whether the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) functions in Ho,” he said.
“The Minister of Interior will recall that I approached him when disaster struck at Kpenõe, Ho and Shia simultaneously in which the roofs of schools and a Health Centre were ripped off by rainstorms. He asked me to write officially, which I did. NADMO responded to me that it was not their responsibility to provide relief and that I should refer the matter to the Ho Municipal Assembly. And no help came indeed,” he informed the House.
He called on the Rt Hon Speaker of Parliament for his intervention so that victims of the recent unprecedented disaster can obtain assistance for restoration.