Floods in Ghana: United Nations involved in joint assessment in the North

Accra, 18 September 2007 - Floods in Ghana have affected 260,000 people and killed 20 people in three regions in the northern parts of the country, according to Government. On 11 September, State authorities have declared a state of emergency for Upper West, Upper East and Northern Region the three distressed zones. Material damage caused includes the destruction of over 12,000 houses and several hectares of crop farms, the collapse of major bridges, and the pollution of potable water sources. Access to some areas is critical due the cut off roads.

In support of the Government's efforts in the management of the crisis the United Nations (UN) in Ghana has mobilised its emergency teams locally and benefited from additional expertise from UNDAC (United Nations Disaster Assessment Coordination), OCHA Regional Office in West Africa and regional UN agencies first to help 1) the Government in the identification of victims and immediate needs and 2) secondly assist in wider response in the coming days.

On 17 September, a joint three-day assessment mission started work in the flood affected regions with the participation of Government, United Nations, NGOs and other civil society organisations within a partnership framework approach. "This assessment mission is of great importance for the United Nations to handle first hand information that will allow us to use emergency relief stock quickly to cater the most immediate life saving needs. It will also help refine the identification of the impact on livelihood as well as reconstruction requirement for medium and long terms" said M. Daouda Toure Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System in Ghana who is himself a member of the assessment team.

Humanitarian organisations are concerned about the food security situation of the populations which was quite fragile before the occurrence of floods due to insufficient rains. Waterborne diseases such as cholera and the upsurge of malaria cases are also feared with the pollution of water sources and the stagnation of rain water. The relocation of people displaced and providing them with non food items are also considered among the key priorities to handle immediately.

In 1999, floods caused the displacement of over 290,000 and the death of about 50, others, as well as several material losses in the North of Ghana. Sustainable solutions to the floods are to be considered for the medium and long term.

Contacts

OCHA Dakar: Katy Thiam thiamk@un.org +221 5699653;
OCHA Genève: Elizabeth Byrs byrs@un.org +4122 917 26 53, mobile +41 79 473 4570;
OCHA New York: Stéphanie Bunker bunker@un.org , mobile +1 917 892 1679, Kristen Knutson Knutson@un.org +1917 367 51 26