The Minority Caucus in Parliament has called on the government to publish a comprehensive breakdown of how the GH¢350 million allocated from the Contingency Fund for flood relief and mitigation will be disbursed following the recent devastating floods.
The allocation includes GH¢200 million for the procurement of relief items for victims of Monday’s floods and GH¢150 million for flood mitigation measures.
The floods displaced more than 7,000 households, affected 38,802 people and claimed 12 lives, making it one of the country’s worst flood disasters in recent years.
Also read: Minority demands answers on emergency health preparedness after floods
Speaking at a press conference in Parliament on Tuesday, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin said although the Minority welcomed the government’s decision to provide financial support for affected communities, the use of the funds must be guided by transparency and accountability.
According to him, Ghanaians deserve to know how the money will be spent and which regions will benefit from the relief and mitigation interventions.
Mr Afenyo-Markin urged the government to publish a regional distribution of the GH¢350 million to ensure that victims outside Greater Accra also receive adequate support.
He stressed that compassion for flood victims must be matched by prudent financial management.
“Compassion for victims and accountability on the part of government are equally important, and both must guide the relief effort,” he said.
The Minority Leader also criticised the government’s preparedness for the rainy season despite the establishment of an Anti-Flood Taskforce last year.
He argued that Monday’s floods exposed significant weaknesses in the taskforce’s operations and called for a parliamentary inquiry into its work, as well as the performance of the ministries and agencies responsible for flood prevention.
Mr Afenyo-Markin further blamed part of the flooding on poor waste management, alleging that the government’s decision not to renew contracts for some waste management companies contributed to blocked drains and worsening flood conditions.
The Minority also expressed concern over the growing risk of outbreaks of water-borne diseases, including cholera and typhoid, in flood-affected communities.
Mr Afenyo-Markin called on the Minister for Health to appear before Parliament to brief the House on measures being implemented to prevent disease outbreaks and protect public health.
He also conveyed the Minority’s condolences to families who lost loved ones in the disaster and wished those injured a speedy recovery.
The Minority Leader urged the government to intensify long-term flood prevention strategies to reduce the impact of similar disasters in the future.