ECOWAS donates $250,000 to support Ghana’s June 29 flood victims

On October 16, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Ghana, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, announced that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has pledged a $250,000 ($3 million Ghanaian cedis) relief contribution to assist victims of the June 29 floods in Ghana. This donation, facilitated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), will be managed by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) as an impartial implementing partner.

ECOWAS' decision to handle the relief effort independently aims to ensure an impartial identification and distribution of funds to those affected, rather than the government directly selecting beneficiaries. The funds are expected to alleviate the suffering of individuals whose homes and livelihoods were devastated by the floods, which impacted over 38,000 people across the Greater Accra Region, displaced more than 7,700 households, and resulted in at least 15 deaths.

Speaking at the inauguration of Ghana’s National Consultative Committee on Regional Integration (NCCRI), Mr Ablakwa emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability in the distribution of the donation, stating that the process would be guided by integrity. The ECOWAS contribution will support ongoing efforts to aid the recovery of affected communities, allowing them to rebuild and recover from the impacts of the devastating floods.