Ghana is ready to help the 3 African countries affected by Cyclone Idai – President Akufo-Addo

This was contained in a release from the presidency which indicated that President Akufo-Addo has sent messages of condolence to the affected countries.

The statement 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.

President Akufo-Addo in the letter further 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.”

Meanwhile, former president John Mahama had said that Ghana must take the lead in mobilizing support from other African leaders for countries affected by Cyclone Idai.

Cyclone Idai has led to about 500 people reported dead, several people missing and over 2.5 million people affected in Madagascar, Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe as a result of the strong winds and severe flooding.

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.