The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), has presented relief items and financial assistance to 297 military personnel and civilian employees affected by the June 29 floods.

The support is intended to ease the hardship of personnel and civilian staff whose homes and property were damaged by flooding in Accra and other parts of the country following the heavy rains.

Lieutenant General William Agyapong, Chief of the Defence Staff, presented the relief items to the beneficiaries at a ceremony held at the Nicholson Stadium, Burma Camp, in Accra on Friday.

The beneficiaries, most of whom reside outside military barracks, received household items, additional uniforms and financial support jointly provided by GAF and NADMO.

Lt. Gen. Agyapong said the presentation reflected the Armed Forces’ commitment to the welfare of its personnel and civilian staff and demonstrated solidarity with those affected by the disaster.

He conveyed the sympathies of President John Dramani Mahama, Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, the Minister for Defence, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the Military High Command and the entire GAF to the victims.

“We have met here today to register our sincere concern and also empathise with you on the loss of your valuable properties and the trauma that you went through during and after the

June 29 rainfall and the subsequent flooding of many parts of our country,” he said.

Lt. Gen. Agyapong said although many victims had lost valuable property, they had reason to be grateful for their lives because the floods had claimed lives in other parts of the country.

He said none of the military barracks experienced flooding because of strict environmental sanitation practices, including keeping drains free from refuse, protecting waterways and complying with planned estate development regulations.

Lt. Gen. Agyapong urged personnel to adopt similar environmental sanitation practices in their communities to help reduce flood risks.

He said the disaster had reinforced the Military High Command’s resolve to accelerate the redevelopment of Burma Camp and El-Wak to enable more military personnel and civilian employees to reside within military barracks.

Lt. Gen. Agyapong acknowledged that the relief package could not replace what beneficiaries had lost but expressed the hope that it would ease their immediate hardship.

He also said counselling services had been established at military hospitals to provide psychosocial support for affected personnel and their families.

Lt. Gen. Agyapong thanked the Ministry of the Interior and NADMO for supporting the intervention with relief items and commended the Service Chiefs and officers who donated uniforms, kits and funds for the affected personnel.

Each beneficiary received two blankets, two plastic cups, two plastic plates, two mosquito nets, two mattresses, buckets, wash basins, two bags of rice, bottles of cooking oil and other essential household items.

They also received additional uniforms and will receive an undisclosed amount of financial assistance.

The June 29 torrential rains triggered severe flooding in Accra and other parts of the country, destroying homes and property, displacing residents and causing fatalities.

The GAF supported rescue operations under Operation BOAFO by deploying personnel and equipment to evacuate stranded residents, while NADMO coordinated emergency relief assistance for affected households.