Devastating impact of rain storms in the Northern region





Over the last three months, severe rain storms have continued to wreak havoc in the Northern Regional metropolis, displacing thousands in eleven communities.

Badly hit and yet to come to terms with their loss are these eleven districts: Walewale, Savelugu, Mion, Daboya, Saboba, Bunkpurugu/Yunyo, Gushegu, Sagnerigu, Yendi and Zabzugu.

The region’s National Disaster Management Organization(NADMO)puts the number of displaced persons at an estimated 10,000 with five reported deaths and over 2,000 structures including houses, schools and government institutions have been destroyed.

Joy News’ Northern regional correspondent, Hashmin Mohammed, who has chronicled the impact of the storms in the area, reports of the worrying plight of the residents.

Even more alarming is the warning by the Meteorological Agency, predicting more storms, he said. A climate change project manager with Association of Church-based Development Projects (ACDEP), Pealore Zachary, in the region has attributed the current climate change in the Region to the global climate change.

This is against the backdrop that NADMO has neither been able to adequately respond to nor put in mitigating measures to lessen the impact of the disasters.

Devastating Effects
Both residents and institutional heads have bemoaned the seeming apathetic attitude of NADMO, blaming the organization’s excuse of lack of resources even after it has declared a state of emergency in the region as unacceptable.

According to Hashmin Mohammed, most schools who have their roofs ripped off, and also risk being closed down if classroom blocks destroyed by rainstorm in the area are not immediately fixed.

He further reports that school Authorities in the devastated areas of the Savelugu-Nanthog Municipality are very worried by the development.

The situation is likely to compel authorities to close down the school because classes have been lumped together, a situation which is making teaching and learning extremely difficult.

A 74 year old woman, Salamatu Iddi in Yendi who had her house completely destroyed by one storm laments; “I pass the night in a portion of my house with my children, the rains have washed away all my things, I’m only looking up to government and other philanthropists for help”.

Local authorities at the district level also appear helpless in responding to the calls of displaced victims of the disaster and are also looking up to the central government for support which is not forthcoming.

Meanwhile, the Northern Regional consultant of the Architectural and Engineering Services (AESL) Anthony Baissana has bemoaned the quality of construction of houses in the Region.