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Expressing his concern for the plight of the displaced victims in communities along the Volta River, Ablakwa emphasized the urgency of taking immediate steps to alleviate their suffering.
“What we need now really are these housing units that we are constructing. The VRA should be also constructing. If they can construct a few hundred for people, it will help. The VRA and the central government must acknowledge that there is a reason people pay taxes, there is a reason we have the contingency vote. It is for emergencies of this kind.
“And I must be honest with you, I haven’t been pleased at all. The neglect has been unconscionable. Public officials must know that they owe a duty of care, and they are not doing anybody a favour. It is an obligation, it is a must. So wherever they are, let’s just be kind to them and say that probably they are mobilising. They are just keeping too long in the mobilisation. They should hurry up and come back and get to work and resettle our people.
“The people deserve their houses back, they deserve to be compensated, and I hope that they don’t compel me to initiate a class action in court. Because at some point we can’t continue any longer with the private initiatives.
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“And if we see that the government is still negligent and derelict, we will have to commence legal action. A class action to compel the government to do the right thing. I hope that we don’t have to get there,” he said on Thursday, as reported by citinewsroom.com.
The Akosombo Dam spillage, orchestrated by the Volta River Authority (VRA) to prevent overtopping of the dam's banks and potential catastrophic disasters, resulted in the destruction of livelihoods and homes. Fish farms and crops were washed away, and the education of students and pupils was disrupted. The proactive response through the Safe Alternative Housing Project aims to address the pressing housing needs of the displaced individuals.