Dam Spillage: Mahama Joins Calls For Declaration Of State Of Emergency

Former President John Dramani Mahama has added his voice to calls for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to declare a state of emergency over wreckages caused to some parts of the country by the spillage of the Akosombo and Kpong dams in the Volta Region.

The Assemblies of God Church, the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and other individuals have been urging the government to declare the situation as an emergency.

In a Facebook post, Mr Mahama said the degree of spillage was a matter of an emergency and overwhelms the economy.

“It is clear that the scope and scale of the flooding of communities along the Volta River is bigger than our crippled economy can bear. I recommend to Government to declare a State of Emergency in the affected areas.”

He further encouraged the government to request relief assistance from our bilateral and multilateral partners.

On Tuesday, GNAT issued a statement calling for same.

“The Ghana National Association of Teachers, GNAT, equally backs the calls for a state of emergency to be declared in the affected areas, since the circumstances under which a state of emergency could be declared, whether natural or manmade disasters, is being experienced currently which is not only threatening the very existence of the people but also depriving the communities of essentials of life. The declaration of the emergency would secure public safety, maintenance of public order, and generate the supply of essential goods and services required by the communities.”

At a presser in Accra, the General Overseer of the Assemblies of God Church, Rev Stephen Wengam recognized that the responsibility that comes with the disaster was more than the government could shoulder.

It added, “The Assemblies of God Ghana fully backs calls for the declaration of a state of emergency in the flood-affected areas, this will help the necessary humanitarian measures being undertaken to bring the depressing situation under control.”

A spillage exercise by the Volta River Authority (VRA) that began on September 15, has caused flooding in districts such as South Tongu, Central Tongu, North Tongu, Shai Osudoku, Anlo, Ada East and Asuogyaman.

The situation has led to the displacement of thousands of people, destruction of property running into billions of cedis, loss of livelihoods and disruption of healthcare and other critical services in some parts of the Volta Region and parts of the Greater Accra Region and the Eastern Region.

State Of Emergency
A state of emergency is declared when an occurrence is perceived to as severe enough to require State aid to supplement local resources in preventing or alleviating damages, loss, hardship or suffering.

It may suspend some functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans.

Per Article 31 of the 1992 Constitution, an Emergency can be declared in cases of a natural disaster and any situation in which any action is taken or is immediately threatened to be taken by any person or body of persons which is calculated or likely to deprive the community of the essentials of life; or renders necessary the taking of measures which are required for securing the public safety, the defence of Ghana and the maintenance of public order and of supplies and services essential to the life of the community.

The President can declare a State of Emergency with the advice of the Council of State and subsequent approval of Parliament.

Per the constitution, Parliament shall, within seventy-two hours after being notified, decide whether the proclamation should remain in force or should; be revoked; and the President shall act in accordance with the decision of Parliament.

Also, “a declaration of a state of emergency shall cease to have effect at the expiration of a period of seven days beginning with the date of publication of the declaration, unless, before the expiration of that period, it is approved by a resolution passed for that purpose, by a majority of all the members of Parliament.”