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Thousands of flood victims in two municipalities of the Western Region have received humanitarian support from the Ghana Rubber Estate (GREL).
The two municipalities, Nzema East and Ahanta West, are part of the 14 districts, metropolitan areas and municipalities seriously affected by the recent torrential rain across the region, leaving the victims with nothing.
The heavy rain either flooded or collapsed many residential facilities. Most of the affected residents left homeless by the situation were currently putting up in community centres, churches and other public facilities.
Officials of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) said the situation this year was far worse than previous incidents as many residents were unable to enter their homes, while those who were able to have access to their homes had their belongings and food items destroyed.
The relief items donated by GREL included detergents, hundreds of blankets, clean water, boxes of tomatoes, vegetable cooking oil, bags of rice, sugar and gari, among many others.
Presenting the items, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Société Internationale de Plantations d'Hévéas (SIPH), the mother company of GREL, Marc Genot, said the company was touched by the plight of the victims; hence, the need to support victims with the items.
He said as a corporate citizen operating in the region the gesture was a reflection of its commitment to being responsive to its community.
“We have been with the communities all these years and we consider ourselves as part of the people so we cannot stand and watch or turn a blind eye to their plight,” he said.
Immediate needs
Mr Genot said the items were carefully selected to help the victims to meet their immediate needs as they worked to get back to their normal economic activities and contribute to the development of the country.
The company, he said, was not only handing the items over to the people through various assemblies and NADMO officials but “we are making sure the items are moved to the communities immediately”.
The Chairman of the Association of Chiefs on whose Land GREL Operates (ACLANGO), Nana Agyeman IX, described the gesture of GREL as timely, considering the level of devastation.
