ADF STAFF | Photos by Ghana Armed Forces
When torrential rains forced operators of the Weija Dam in Accra, Ghana, to release excess water, it displaced thousands of people and left others in peril.
In response, the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) sprang into action, rescuing more than 100 people on October 4, 2022. In some cases, Soldiers carried civilians through waist-high water. In other cases they used small boats to transport people. The efforts were part of Operation Boafo, which means “helper” in the Twi language. The annual search and rescue operation coincides with the rainy season.
“The Ghana Armed Forces continues to support citizens in these emergency situations as part of its civic duty to help mitigate destruction of property and loss of life,” the GAF wrote in a Facebook post.
The 48 Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Army led the rescue. In other rescue events, elements of the Ghana Navy and Ghana Air Force helped the country’s National Disaster Management Organization.
Flooding is an annual occurrence in many low-lying areas of Ghana. The first rainy season is in May and June, with another season in September and October. GAF Soldiers are deployed to flood-prone areas in central and southern Ghana for the duration of the seasons.
“Our men will be deployed until the end of the rainy season, and they are readily available to rescue affected persons and offer our support,” Maj. Sena Affeanyi said at the beginning of the operation.
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