NGO pays Health Insurance premiums to flood victims

The Northern Ghana Aid (NOGAID), a Tamale-based non-governmental organisation, in partnership with two international NGOs, have paid full health insurance premiums for 200 flood victims in 10 communities in the Arigu Traditional Area in the West Mamprusi District. The payment is part of the NGOs' contribution to helping flood victims in the most deprived areas where aid cannot reach. The international NGOs are Doctors World Wide (DWW), British NGO and Deniz Feneri, (Light House Association), a Turkish NGO. The three NGOs run active projects in 38 countries in Asia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa and aimed at poverty reduction through skills training, income generating ventures, education and provision of safe drinking water to deprived communities. Mr. Mustapha Sanah, Executive Director of NOGAID who paid the premiums on behalf of the NGO consortium, said the money was part of a 490 million-cedi (GH¢49,000) package for flood victims in Arigu and surrounding communities. He said the NGOs chose Arigu and its surrounding areas because no aid had reached the area since the floods due to the poor nature of the road. Earlier the NGO consortium had presented two truckloads of relief items to the West Mamprusi District Assembly for distribution to the Arigu communities. The items included 200 bags of maize, 200 bags of rice, 100 bags of cement, 20 bags of sugar and 10 bales of used clothing. The rest are 10 packets of roofing sheets, 400 packs of cooking oil, 20 boxes of soap and drugs. Mr. Abdulahad Kokdagi, Deputy International Relations Manager of Deniz Feneri, expressed sorrow about the plight of flood victims and called for more support for them. Mr. Hob Yaro, an official of the West Mamprusi District National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) who received the items, assured the NGOs of prompt distribution.