The Ministry of Finance has released GH¢350 million from the Contingency Fund to support emergency relief operations and flood mitigation measures following the devastating floods that recently affected several parts of Ghana, particularly the Greater Accra Region.
The funds have been transferred into a dedicated National Disaster Management Committee account to finance the government’s National Emergency Flood Response Programme, aimed at providing immediate assistance to victims while investing in measures to reduce the impact of future flooding.
The release of the funds follows a directive by President John Dramani Mahama, who instructed the Minister for Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, to urgently mobilise resources from the Contingency Fund to respond to the disaster and support affected communities.
The government says the intervention underscores its commitment to providing swift humanitarian assistance to flood victims while implementing longer-term solutions to Ghana’s recurring flooding problem.
The latest floods, triggered by hours of torrential rainfall on Sunday through to Monday, left a trail of destruction across several communities, particularly in Accra, where homes, businesses, roads and public infrastructure were submerged.
The flooding disrupted transport services, stranded hundreds of commuters, damaged properties worth millions of cedis, killed dozens and forced many families to seek temporary shelter.
Several major roads became impassable after drains overflowed, while low-lying communities experienced extensive inundation. Markets and commercial centres were also affected, with traders suffering heavy losses after floodwaters destroyed goods and equipment.
Emergency responders, including personnel from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Ghana National Fire Service, the Ghana Police Service and the Armed Forces, were deployed to rescue trapped residents and restore normalcy.
Acting on the Minister’s directive, the Controller and Accountant-General established a dedicated National Disaster Management Committee account at the Bank of Ghana and subsequently transferred the full GH¢350 million into the account.
Under the allocation, GH¢200 million has been earmarked for emergency humanitarian assistance to flood victims and affected communities.
The remaining GH¢150 million has been allocated for flood mitigation projects designed to reduce the frequency and severity of flooding across vulnerable communities.
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