Thousands
of flood victims in two municipalities of the Western Region have received
humanitarian support from the Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (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 centers, 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 largest shareholder of GREL, Mr. 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.
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.
