#Damspillage: You didn’t vote for me but I will help you – Ghana’s president sets the record straight

President Nana Akufo-Addo has said his tour of the Volta Region to inspect the extent of destruction caused by the spillage of excess water from the Akosombo and Kpong dams must be seen in the light of the government trying to help suffering Ghanaians, irrespective of whether those people voted for him or not.

Apart from the Volta Region, the spillage has also flooded parts of the Eastern and Greater Accra regions and displaced thousands of residents as well as destroyed farms, house and other property.

Speaking to the chiefs and people of Mepe on Monday, 16 October 2023, Mr Akufo-Addo said: “The coordination is about the immediate, and the most important thing was to ensure the life of people and that is why nine centres were established for all the displaced people and all the people in these nine centres have been provided relief items by NADMO, and it is NADMO’s intention to continue to provide relief items”.

He said: “Apart from what NADMO is doing, we must also think about the future”.

Mr Akufo-Addo said: “I am aware that you are a farming people and the people who are farming on the banks of the rivers and had their crops destroyed, one of the things the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Finance and the Office of the President are going to do is to work together with the district assemblies to decide the exact support we have to give to you when the water has gone away”.

“And this is why I am saying that the committee is working in several phases: one being to provide immediate relief, and then to prevent such happening in the future and I want you to know the government is going to do everything in its powers to assist to ensure everything is all right.”

Mr Akufo-Addo told the gathering that politics must not be dragged into the situation.

“Let everybody know that politics does not come into the issue when things like this occur and government acts”, he cautioned, pointing out: “when I took the oath of office as President, I took the oath of office as President, I took the oath of office as president for every single individual in Ghana, for all the people in Ghana, all districts, whether they voted for me or not. Once I have taken the oath of office, I am President for all the people”.

“Togbe, I want the people here, beginning with you, and the elders to understand that when something like this happens and government acts, government is acting for Ghanaians, for all Ghanaians”.

“I came here because Ghanaians are having difficulties and are suffering, and it is my responsibility to try and help. Because if it is a question of counting who votes for me and who doesn’t vote for me, then I wouldn’t be here because you don’t vote for me. But that is not my concern. And in any event, one day you will vote for me and my party”, the president added.

On 15 September, the Volta River Authority started a controlled spillage of excess water from the two dams whose levels had risen close to the brink.

The spillage is to avert any disaster to the dams.

The people affected by the spillage are mostly in South Tongu, North Tongu and Central Tongu and Asuogyaman.

credit: classfm