The Ghana Chamber of Mines has donated relief items worth approximately GH¢2 million to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to support victims of the devastating June 29 floods that affected communities in Greater Accra, Central and other regions.
The donation, comprising 1,500 mattresses, 1,500 blankets, about 100 cartons of baby food, bags of rice, maize, garri, sugar, beans, bottled water, cooking oil, detergents, disinfectants, bleach, and 1,000 pairs of Wellington boots and gloves for NADMO, is aimed at providing immediate relief to affected families while strengthening the country’s disaster response capacity.
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Presenting the items, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Kenneth Ashigbey, expressed sympathy to families who lost loved ones and property during the floods, describing the tragedy as a national moment of grief and solidarity.
He extended the Chamber’s condolences to bereaved families and assured victims that the mining industry stood firmly with them as they rebuilt their lives.
To the thousands of families who lost their homes, businesses, farms, livelihoods, and cherished possessions, please know that you are not alone. We stand with you. We mourn with you,” Ashigbey stated.
Ashigbey said the donation reflected the mining industry’s commitment to responsible corporate citizenship, emphasizing that responsible mining extends beyond resource extraction to supporting communities during times of national crisis. He also commended member companies of the Chamber, noting that some had themselves suffered the effects of the floods but still contributed generously to the relief effort.
While acknowledging the unusually heavy rainfall, the Chamber’s CEO argued that human activities had significantly worsened the disaster. Ashigbey blamed illegal mining, indiscriminate construction in waterways, poor waste disposal, and disregard for engineering advice for increasing the country’s vulnerability to flooding.
The Chamber also appealed to Corporate Ghana to invest more in disaster preparedness by supporting NADMO’s Disaster Fund rather than responding only after disasters occur. He further assured NADMO of the Chamber’s readiness to support the transparent distribution of the relief items to affected communities.
Receiving the donation on behalf of the Government, Deputy Minister for the Interior Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi described the gesture as timely and an example of meaningful corporate social responsibility.
On behalf of the Government of Ghana, particularly the Ministry of the Interior, I wish to express my profound gratitude to the Ghana Chamber of Mines and its member companies for this timely gesture of compassion, solidarity, and corporate responsibility,” he said.
The Deputy Minister noted that the floods had destroyed homes, disrupted livelihoods and claimed lives, making the support particularly significant. He stressed that disaster management required collaboration among government, the private sector and civil society.
Terlabi assured the Chamber that the donated items would be distributed fairly and transparently to those most in need. He also called for long-term investments in disaster preparedness, improved drainage systems, responsible waste management, stronger early warning systems and stricter enforcement of planning regulations to reduce the impact of future floods.
The Deputy Minister urged other corporate organisations, faith-based institutions and philanthropists to emulate the Chamber’s example by supporting ongoing relief and recovery efforts across the country.
