Assemblyman for Ketu South Constituency, Mawufemor Kofi Folivi, has accused the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) officer in the constituency, Paul Alosode, of withholding relief items meant for flood victims in the area.

Allegedly, this decision was prompted by the fact that other organizations had directly donated items to community leaders without involving the NADMO office.

In a phone interview with GhanaWeb, the Assemblyman claimed that Paul Alosode, the NADMO officer, withheld the aid as a form of punishment.

According to Kofi Folivi, when the flooding crisis began, some relief items were brought to the NADMO office, but not all affected individuals received assistance.

Upon addressing this issue with the NADMO officer, Alosode explained that the initial items were insufficient and that he intended to distribute more once additional relief supplies arrived.

However, Ghana Gas Company Limited and the Member of Parliament for the area delivered additional aid. The Assemblyman suggested combining these new items with the existing ones at the NADMO office to provide relief to everyone in the affected communities.

Nevertheless, NADMO officer Alosode refused, stating that since the donations from Ghana Gas and the Member of Parliament had not passed through his office, he could not allocate them.

“His claim is that they were supposed to pass the items through his office and once they didn't do that, those of us who received the times, he said he is punishing us. He read to me the things he wanted to give me at the time he called me. Those were 10 plastic bowls, 10 pieces of rubber cups for two communities. Also , there are some wellenting boots for the Sukoladzi community and some for the Zongo community as well. Those were the same items I went back to him to ask for, I didn't request any other things from him,” the assemblyman stated.

The assemblyman representing Ketu South Constituency also voiced his dissatisfaction with this decision, pointing out that the relief goods were supposed to come from the NADMO office and that their distribution of the goods under their control would have supplemented the assistance from other organizations.

He clarified that he attempted to bring the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) into the situation, but the MCE said he was not sure how to handle it.

“This is something that was supposed to come from your office, and is it my fault the MP and Ghana Gas came to donate the affected people. Even though what they brought were not enough, if you added the ones that the NADMO office was supposed to give us, it would have complimented whatever we are doing and people would have felt a bit relieved. He said no, I can't decide for him what he should do.

“I called the MCE [Maxwell Kopelugudor] and told him that this is what the NADMO officer is doing, he also told me he doesn't know how to deal with the issue now but he will give him a call and get back to me. I tried reaching out to the MCE for an update on the issue but he didn't pick my calls,” he added.

He continued “If your office is supposed to help and you are refusing to do that and other people are helping, it is necessary that they pass it through you, is it for you to keep them?” he asked.