Emergency Assistance to Ghana for the Flood Disaster

November 2, 1999

On November 2 (Tue), the Government of Japan decided to extend emergency assistance in kind (equivalent to about 20 million yen) including tents as emergency aid to the Government of the Republic of Ghana, which has sustained a large-scale flood disaster.
The northern region of Ghana has been suffering from flooding caused by heavy rainfalls since August this year, made worse by large amounts of water discharged from dams in neighboring Burkina Faso and Togo. The residents of the region have suffered immense material and human damage. According to the Government of Ghana, roads and bridges have been destroyed by the flooding of the principal rivers, which is in turn hampering such activities as rescue operations and transportation of materials. The situation has also led to an outbreak of cholera with more than 1,500 persons infected and 50 persons dead.
The Government of Ghana, while conducting relief operations of its own, such as setting up a committee for anti-disaster measures and dispatching a government mission to the disaster-stricken area, has requested emergency aid from the international community including Japan.
The Government of Japan has decided to extend this emergency assistance from a humanitarian standpoint, in view of the seriousness of this disaster and the friendly relations between Japan and Ghana.

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