The Minority in Parliament has appealed to the government and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to extend humanitarian assistance and support to Indonesia, following an apocalyptic earthquake and tsunami on September 28, 2018, claiming over 1,400 lives, according to confirmed official reports.
The Minority pointed out that since the government has no intention to send assistance to Indonesia, the Minority representatives on the Foreign Affairs Committee in Parliament is compelled to nudge the government to wake up to Ghana’s moral obligation in the comity of nations.
In a press statement signed by the Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament and Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Minority noted that it had to mount pressure on the government last year after its initial inaction, following the mudslide in Sierra Leone, which claimed 1,141 lives.
The Minority indicated that Ghana and Indonesia have enjoyed many decades of strong diplomatic relations and shared a deep bond of bilateral co-operation, which led to Indonesia granting visa free status to Ghanaians since 2016.
In the statement, the Minority in Parliament averred that ”we must emphasize that we have noted recent admissions from both President Akufo-Addo and the Finance Minister, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta about the worrying state of Ghana’s economy and its negative impact on Ghanaians. The Minority is not insisting on a grand gesture or seeking to coerce the government to equal the example of the £3 million, £2.6 million and £2.4million donated by the United Kingdom (UK), Australia and New Zealand respectively. In the same vein, our demand is not to force the government to necessarily compete with the donation of US$1 million each by the Chief Executive Officers of Google and Apple”.
The Minority however established that it is willing to make donations to Indonesia due to its quintessential Ghanaian nature of empathy and kindness.
Indonesia: The earthquake and the tsunami
The Eastern Indonesian island of Sulawesi was hit by a 7.5 magnitude earthquake on Friday, September 28, 2018 and a subsequent tsunami that hurled water as high as 20 feet over the city of Palu.
Palu has been described as a mass grave site following the catastrophe with many giving up hope on the possibility of rescuing any more survivors. Palu’s airport remains damaged while roads, water systems and electricity have been destroyed.
Indonesian President, Mr. Joko Widodo in the immediate aftermath, requested the international community to come to his country’s aid with financial support, food, water, clothing and rescue expertise.
So far, at least, twenty-five countries have responded to the call of the Indonesian President.
The government of Ghana is yet to provide assistance and support to Indonesia.
Source: GhanaJustice/S. Saint-Ayisi
