LANDSLIDE VICTIMS TO BE RELOCATED (PAGE 49)

THE government is working closely with related agencies to find a safer environment to relocate the people of Adukrom-Yensi, where a landslide killed three people and destroyed many property last week.
Those who died in the landslide, which followed a heavy downpour, were two adults and a three-year-old boy.
Adukrom-Yensi is a farming village in the Akuapem North District of the Eastern Region.
The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Affram Asiedu, who made this known, said attempts were being made to identify all landslide-prone zones in the area, after which settlers of most of the affected communities would be relocated.
He was speaking during the presentation, on behalf of the government, of GH¢2,500 worth of items to victims of the landslide at Adukrom-Yensi and Asenamase.
The items comprised 40 foam mattresses, 15 bags of rice, 20 pieces of rubber bowls, 45 buckets, 20 rubber cups, 50 rubber plates, 50 mats, three bales of used clothing and gallons of cooking oil.
Mr Affram Asiedu was accompanied by the District Chief Executive for Akuapem North, Mr Edward Adu Aboagye; the NPP parliamentary aspirant for Okere, Mr Dan Botwe; the incumbent Member of Parliament, Mr B. D. K. Adu, and the Eastern Regional Co-ordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation, Mr Michael Ahyiah.
The regional minister urged the community leaders to ensure that the items went to the most affected and pledged the commitment of the government to provide the people with roofing sheets and cement when they were resettled in their new locations.
The Merantiehene of Adukrom-Yensi, Mr Joseph Mantey, said the area had, in the past, been prone to landslides which destroyed large tracts of farmland and livestock.
He said the situation was worsened by the fact that most of the houses were made of mud that could not stand heavy downpours and the huge piles of rock and sand during landslides.
He expressed the hope that the government would fulfil its promise, since the relocation would ensure the safety of the people.
Speaking to the press after the presentation, Mr Aboagye expressed the gratitude of the government to the youth of Adukrom and other surrounding communities for volunteering to support victims of the affected communities.
He attributed the frequent landslides in the area to farming practices along the mountains which had removed the vegetation cover.
He gave the assurance that the district assembly was rehabilitating the seven-kilometre Asenema-Krutia and Bepoase-Asenema roads to ease the carting of farm produce to marketing centres.
Last week Tuesday a landslide trapped Doris Asantewaa, 55, Yaa Oforiwaa, 72, and a three-year-old boy to death.