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Some residents of Sokpoe in the South Tongu District of the Volta Region have appealed to the government to roll out a comprehensive programme to help mitigate their suffering.
The residents mainly women, were part of those affected by flooding which occurred in parts of the district following the unfortunate spillage of the Akosombo Dam in September 2023.
The women voiced out these concerns after STEMinist Foundation, Ghana, a non-ºgovernmental organisation (NGO) interacted with them yesterday in Sokpoe in an effort to assess their situation after the spillage.
According to the women since the disaster some of them had been taking refuge with relatives and friends, a situation which was making life unbearable for them, hence this call for support.
STEMinist Foundation, Ghana are a network of women advocating for equal world through excellent representation of women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
They provided relief items and medical support to the affected residents during the Volta Lake spillage as their contribution.
Mrs Nerissa Edem Anku, Gender-Justice Transition Advisor, at a community engagement took time to educate the women that they have equal rights like men to fight for themselves.
She said their visit was to see whether life has returned to normalcy and to encourage them to keep pushing for their rights.
She emphasised that their mission was also to campaign to defend the rights of rural women and children to access electricity for essential services such as health, education and poverty eradication to push government to accelerate electrification of the Volta Lakefront communities.
Mrs Anku appealed to the women to form a strong group and unite to lobby government and other stakeholders to come and see to their needs.
She added that empowering women affected economically would have a direct positive impact on household welfare and community development.
She noted that they are committed to enhancing the development of women and children through continuous advocacy and lobbying.
Ms Florence Kissieh, Unit Committee member for the area on behalf of the women thanked the Foundation for the visit.
She said this engagement has reenergised them as women to come together to support each other.
She noted that the 2023 spillage caused a wide spread displacement and destruction of properties and appealed to the Foundation to lobby government to fulfil some of the promises made to them.
