E/R: 2 children drown as violent flood sweeps homes
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Two male children Ernest Mensah,11, and Kingsley Agormetor,14, have drowned at Mfrebiem, a farming community in Akuapem South municipality in the Eastern region.
They drowned when they attempted to fetch from a Nsakye river which was overflowing its banks as a result of a dam constructed by Blue Skies Company Limited.
The first victim slipped into the river and the second victim attempted to save him but both drowned.
Father of one of the victims, Kwaku Agormetor blamed the flood caused by the Dam for the death of the children.
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The dam constructed in the river has caused serious flooding which has submerged a total of about 70 acres of oil palm plantation, cassava, pineapple, maize, pepper, and garden eggs farms and flooded homes in Mfrebiem, Deikrom and Agyarkokrom, all farming communities.
The only borehole serving the communities has been heavily polluted as a result of the flooding denying residents access to safe drinking water.
The Odikro of Deikrom who is also a farmer Abusuapanin Oko Amoani explained the devastation caused by the construction of the dam by Blue Skies Company Limited on their farms as a result of the recent downpour making it difficult for them to depend on their farms for their daily meal.
Michael Agyarko, a unit committee member of the Mfrebiem community said the dam has blocked the smooth flow of the river hence the flooding in that area.
He said the Akuapem South Municipal Assembly has been duly notified to take action before more devastating disasters befall the communities.
Sources say Engineers from Akuapem South Municipal Assembly raised concerns over possible environmental consequences of the Dam but the company went ahead to construct the same.
The District Chief Executive Frank Aidoo was however unavailable for an interview on subsequent consequential interventions by the Assembly for both short and long and terms solutions to avert future disaster.
