The Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has condemned government’s failure to support victims of the Akosombo Dam spillage, nearly a year after the disaster.
At a stakeholder public hearing, Mr. Ablakwa disclosed that over 1,300 individuals remain in displacement camps, still waiting for compensation and assistance to rebuild their lives.
He lambasted the government’s response as inadequate and highlighted the lack of effective communication from the inter-ministerial committee created to manage the crisis.
“You heard the government set up a 30-member committee. We are the inter-ministerial committee. To be very honest with you, we are very disappointed that that committee has not met us even once. I mean, a lot of the members, we are in parliament with them. I would have thought that even if it’s parliament, we can meet here,” Mr. Ablakwa criticised.
He emphasised the committee’s failure to engage with MPs from affected areas, despite its responsibility to tackle the issue.
“We can even meet at the cafeteria, even over coffee that, oh, share data with us or tell us what is happening. You know, not one meeting, not so, we don’t know if it was just maybe an announcement for the public for some cosmetic reason, but we don’t know,” he added.
Mr. Ablakwa also revealed that local chiefs often contact parliamentarians for updates, but they are unable to provide any information due to the committee’s lack of engagement.
Source: classfmonline.com