Ghana ready to offer support to Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi- Akufo-Addo assures

Ghana has offered its support to the people of Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe who have been badly affected by Cyclone Idai.

This was revealed by President Nana Akufo-Addo who has sent messages of condolence to the affected countries.

A release from the presidency said Nana Akufo-Addo had written to Presidents Filipe Nyusi, Emerson Mnangagwa, and Peter Mutharika of Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi respectively.

“On behalf of the Government and people of Ghana, I extend sincere, heartfelt condolences to you, Your Excellency, and to the brotherly people of Mozambique on this tragedy,” President Akufo-Addo said in his letters.

While emphasizing his sympathy towards the disaster, President Akufo-Addo assured the three presidents of Ghana’s material support to help restore normalcy to their daily lives.     

“You can be assured of the solidarity of the Ghanaian people and its Government in these difficult times. We stand ready to assist, within our modest means, in helping to restore a sense of normalcy to everyday life in the affected communities,” the president said. 

President John Mahama had earlier called for Ghana to take the lead in mobilizing support from other African leaders for countries affected by Cyclone Idai.

Cyclone Idai which is regarded as one of the worst tropical cyclones on record to affect Africa has become a reference for some environmentalist on the looming danger of climate change on the continent of Africa.

At least 500 people have been reported dead, several hundreds missing and over 2.5 million people affected in Madagascar, Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe as a result of the strong winds and severe flooding.

Effects of Cyclone  Idai

In Zimbabwe, at least 98 people have died and 217 people are missing in the east and southern parts of the country, the government said.

In Malawi, the UN says more than 80,000 people have been displaced by the cyclone.

Large parts of Mozambique have been engulfed after the cyclone smashed into its low-lying coastal areas, while heavy rains caused landslides and floods in Malawi and Zimbabwe.