P 051622Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY ACCRA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8332
AMEMBASSY DAKAR PRIORITY 
ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
INFO NSC WASHDC
CDC ATLANTA GA 0038
USEU BRUSSELS
AMEMBASSY CONAKRY 
AMEMBASSY FREETOWN 
AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN 
AMEMBASSY ACCRA
AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT 
AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
AMEMBASSY PARIS 
USMISSION UN ROME 
USMISSION GENEVA 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
SECDEF WASHDC//SOLIC/PKHA//
SECDEF WASHDC//USDP/J3//
JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC//J3/J4/J5//
HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//J3/J5//

UNCLAS ACCRA 001054 
 
 
DAKAR FOR OFDA/WNARO DAVIS 
ACCRA FOR USAID/WA 
GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH 
CONAKRY FOR POL AND USAID 
FREETOWN FOR POL AND USAID 
NAIROBI FOR OFDA/EARO 
EUCOM FOR POLA/J3/J4/J5 
BRUSSELS FOR USEU, USAID PBROWN 
USUN FOR DMERCADO 
 
STATE FOR PRM, AF/W, IO 
NSC FOR TSHORTLEY 
USAID FOR USAID/A, AFR/AA, AFR/WA, AFR/SD, 
USAID FOR DCHA/OFDA GGOTTLIEB, SROGERS, CPRATT, 
USAID FOR DCHA/AA, DCHA/FFP, DCHA/OTI, DCHA/CMM 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID PREF WFP GH PHUM SENV
SUBJECT: DISASTER DECLARATION GHANA FLOOD DISASTER 
 
¶1. This is an action request.  Please see paragraph 9. 
 
¶2. Pursuant to section 062, volume 2 of the Foreign 
Affairs Manual and USAID ADS 251, the Charge 
d'Affaires has determined that a disaster exists in 
Ghana and certifies that the following conditions 
exist: over the past few months high levels of 
rainfall have inundated the Upper East, Northern, and 
Upper West Regions of Ghana. The incessant rains and 
flooding have resulted in collapsed homes, washed 
away bridges and roads, and immediate and short-term 
food insecurity of affected populations. The flooding 
has been exacerbated by the opening of both spillways 
of the Bagre and Kompienga Dams in Burkina Faso 
between September 4 and 22, releasing significant 
water flows into the White Volta River, which flows 
into Ghana. Also affected is the Oti River catchment 
area covering parts of the Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo district. 
 
¶3. The GOG's initial assessment on September 9th and 
10th was followed by a rapid UN Joint assessment on 
September 17th and 18th in some parts of the Northern 
Region confirming that over 130,000 people have been 
affected by floods in three northern regions of Ghana. 
According to a weekly situation report released by 
the United Nations Office for Coordination of 
Humanitarian Affairs on September 25, 2009, over 659 
communities in Upper East, Northern Region, and Upper 
West Regions have been affected by the flood with at 
least 24 communities inaccessible from the rest of 
the country. Over 6,352 houses and 13 school buildings 
have collapsed with over 38,000 acres of farm lands 
destroyed. Many displaced persons are living in school 
buildings and churches with surviving animals; 
boreholes and hand-dug wells have been contaminated 
by the floods. So far 8 deaths have occurred as the 
victims were swept away by raging waters in their 
attempt to salvage farm and household effects. It is 
evident from initial reports by the GOG and members 
of the UN and NGO consortium that this flood disaster 
is of a magnitude beyond government's capacity to 
adequately respond; hence, the call by the National 
Disaster Management Organization on September 28 for 
assistance to alleviate the "excessive" human 
suffering. The Northern Regional Minister has already 
issued a press release calling for humanitarian 
assistance to affected persons. 
 
¶4. The Government of Ghana through the Regional 
Coordinating Council, is leading a weekly humanitarian 
assessment meeting in Tamale.  In addition, a monthly 
Inter-Agency Working Group has been activated to 
coordinate and assess the situation. In attendance 
will be USAID, other UN agencies (WFP, UNICEF and 
others) resident in Accra as well as representatives 
from UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) 
and Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian 
Affairs (OCHA), DFID, ECHO, non-government 
organizations, private sector, religious bodies and 
media.  A detailed assessment is yet to be conducted 
to determine the extent of damage in the affected 
regions. 
 
¶5. At the September 23 monthly Inter-Agency Working 
Group meeting for NGOs, Development Partners and 
others hosted at the UN offices in Accra, it was 
reiterated that stakeholders should not replicate the 
efforts already being taken at the regional level 
meetings. 
 
¶6. Over the weekend of September 26-27, a rapid 
assessment team from the Government of Ghana 
corroborated the seriousness of the effects of the 
floods.  With stretches of farmland submerged in 
water, the food security situation is likely to 
worsen and already partners are being requested to 
support efforts at alleviating immediate food 
scarcities and imminent health hazards such as 
outbreaks of dysentery and malaria.  Opportunities 
Industrialization Centers International (OICI) has 
also received requests from their local collaborators 
and partners for urgent food items like rice, cereals, 
millet, vegetable oil, cowpeas and non-food items 
including mosquito nets, household utensils, 
medicines, as well as the means of transporting the 
emergency assistance.  OICI has submitted a proposal 
to USAID. 
 
¶7. Gaps remaining for non-food items and other 
necessities will become clearer after the next 
regional Humanitarian Response meeting in Tamale in 
the coming week. 
 
¶8. Responding to this disaster is in the interest of 
the U.S. Government because of humanitarian concerns 
and the importance of demonstrating that Ghana's 
friends stand ready to help.  While the GoG is taking 
a proactive approach in guiding the relief effort and 
coordinating with international humanitarian 
assistance partners, there is limited GOG capacity to 
respond to the immediate disaster at hand, and thus, 
the GOG has appealed for international assistance. 
The GOG is very willing to accept USG assistance. 
 
¶9. In light of these conditions, the U. S. Charge 
d'Affaires is requesting an immediate contribution 
of 50,000 USD from OFDA to OICI and RTI to implement 
an emergency response program. The U.S. Mission 
 Disaster Relief Officer and OFDA Regional Office 
have coordinated their efforts and support provision 
of non-food items to victims in the Northern Region 
living in temporary homes and to families assisting 
them. OICI and RTI will use this amount to provide 
non-food items to 5,000 victims in the Kpandai and 
West Mamprusi Districts of the Northern Region, the 
most heavily affected area of the flood disaster. The 
items will include cooking utensils, blankets and 
insecticide treated bed nets. In addition to the above 
response, USAID through the President's Malaria 
Initiative will provide 10,000 courses of anti- 
malarial medications to the Northern Region to 
supplement the depleted supplies of public health 
facilities in flood-affected districts. Following 
these responses, there will be an assessment and 
additional assistance may be required. 
 
¶10. Please review and confirm concurrence with the 
Charge d'Affaires' declaration and provide guidance 
on an appropriate obligation process as soon as 
possible. 
 
FURUTA-TOY#