Ghana Parliament Thanks Church for ‘Miraculous Intervention’ in Response to Devastating Floods

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On 6 February 2024, seven Members of Parliament from Ghana visited the area offices of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Accra, Ghana. The visitors presented the Area Presidency with a letter of appreciation for the Church’s donations and interventions during the recent floods in the Volta Region of Ghana.

Representing the Volta Parliament Caucus, the seven parliament members, all whose constituencies were in the flood-ravaged Volta area, came to personally thank the Church leaders for the timely response to the needs of their constituencies. After the flood, the Church was quick to provide food and medical supplies to the displaced residents of the Volta area.

The Akosombo Dam in the Volta region had been experiencing rising water levels due to increased levels of rainfall. To avoid dam failure, spillage exercises were necessary. This began on 15 September 2023, with additional spilling required on 9 October 2023. The spillage led to the displacement of over 40,000 people in many communities along the Volta River, downstream from the dam.

On 24 October 2023, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints donated much needed food and emergency supplies to individuals who were displaced by the devastating Akosombo Dam Spillage Flood. Community members from the constituencies in the Volta Region received food as well as emergency sanitation and medical supplies to alleviate suffering and provide hope for those displaced by the spillage.

The visiting Members of Parliament included the Hon. Gabby Hottordze, Central Tongu; the Hon. Kobby Woyome, South Tongu; the Hon. Dzifa Gomashie, Ketu South; the Hon. Sammy Okudzeto Ablakwa, North Tongu; the Hon. Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpey, Keta; and the Hon. Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, Akatsi North. All visiting Members of Parliament represented flood victims within their constituencies. 

The visitors were greeted by Elder S. Gifford Nielsen, General Authority Seventy and President of the Africa West Area; Elder Jörg Klebingat, General Authority Seventy and first counselor in the Area Presidency; and Elder Alfred Kyungu, General Authority Seventy and second counselor in the presidency. They were joined by other Church leaders from the Africa West Area office.

The Honorable Sammy Okudzeto Ablakwa, member of parliament for North Tongu, thanked the Church for their early intervention. 

“You came so quickly with help, and as a result of that, many others were inspired to help because of your example,” Ablakwa said. “When the story of this disaster is told, you will not be able to ignore the incredible and substantial contributions of your Church.”

Ablakwa noted that, “Forty thousand people were displaced by the flood, yet none of them died. This has a lot to do with the timeliness of your medical donations. The miracle of your intervention continues as people have hope where there had been hopelessness.”

First term Member of Parliament, the Honorable Dzifa Gomashie, spoke of how she struggled with how to help her people when the floods came. 

“I was in despair, but you came through and gave me hope again. Your intervention held me up in my time of need," she said.

Elder Nielsen accepted the letter and noted how honored the Church leaders were to receive this recognition and to have the Members of Parliament take time from their busy schedules to present it in person.

“We deeply feel in our hearts this shared gratitude for what we were able to accomplish together to bless the lives of your constituents who were affected by this devastating flood,” said Elder Nielsen. “Our focus as members of the Church of Jesus Christ is to follow our Savior’s example by relieving the burdens placed on them.”