President John Dramani Mahama says about 48,000 people have been left homeless and at least 12 others killed by the recent floods that swept through parts of Ghana, as he received Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio for a one day state visit to Accra.
President Bio, who also serves as Chair of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, visited Ghana to express condolences and solidarity with the government and people following the disaster, which has displaced thousands and caused widespread destruction.
Speaking after bilateral talks, President Mahama said the government had deployed the Ghana Armed Forces and the Joint Task Force to support rescue and recovery operations, including clearing blocked waterways and helping restore normal life in affected communities.
He said the Minister for Finance had also released money from the Contingency Fund to support relief operations being coordinated by the National Disaster Management Organisation and other agencies.
President Mahama said preliminary assessments showed that about 48,000 people had been displaced by the floods, with 12 confirmed deaths. He added that several others remained unaccounted for as emergency teams continued search, rescue and relief operations.
Beyond the flood response, the two leaders discussed regional security, governance and economic integration within the Economic Community of West African States ahead of the regional bloc’s summit in Sierra Leone.
President Bio expressed his sympathies to the victims and families affected by the floods, describing the disaster as a reminder of the growing impact of climate change across West Africa.
He called for stronger regional cooperation to improve disaster preparedness, tackle climate related challenges and promote better urban planning to reduce the impact of future floods.
The visit reaffirmed the long standing ties between Ghana and Sierra Leone, with both leaders pledging to strengthen cooperation within ECOWAS to promote peace, stability and development across the sub region.
