The items, which included 400 bags of maize and 100 bags of rice, are to help alleviate the plight of the victims who have been displaced by the floods occasioned by the spillage of the Akosombo dam.

The Ya-Na presented the items to the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and some traditional rulers from the affected areas at the Gbewa Palace in Yendi last Friday for onward distribution to the victims. 

Alleviate plight

The Ya-Na said the gesture was his widows’ mite to put a smile on the faces of the victims and pledged his continued support towards alleviating the plight of the affected persons.

"On behalf of the Dagbon Traditional Council, the Chiefs and People of the Dagbon kingdom, I extend our sympathy to the people of Volta Region and Buipe in the Savannah Region for the colossal loss of properties and livelihoods due to the spillage of the Akosombo dam.

 You couldn’t have had a more difficult time than now, and we stand by you in your moment of difficulty and helplessness," he said.

He described the floods as disastrous and called for stringent measures to curb future occurrence.

Naa Abukari II, however, made a passionate appeal to the government and other benevolent organisations for more relief support to quicken the recovery process, stating that the situation at hand was beyond the capabilities of the affected people.

While commending the Member of Parliament for North Tongu for his untiring efforts to get support for the affected communities, he thanked all sons and daughters of Dagbon who donated towards the gesture.

Gratitude

Receiving the items, Mr Ablakwa expressed gratitude to the Overlord for the gesture and pledged to ensure equitable distribution of the items to the beneficiaries.

He said "the Ya-Na’s outstanding humanitarian gesture does not only confirm his widely acclaimed reputation for philanthropy, it perhaps, most importantly, highlights our unflinching unity, common humanity and nationhood above all exaggerated divisions and false prejudices".