The Mepe Traditional Council (MTC) has ap­pealed to the government to consider the plight of victims of the Akosombo Dam spillage, and rapidly facilitate the compensation process to enable them to lead meaningful lives and contribute to national development.According to the MTC, the poor living conditions of the flood victims was a major development challenge confronting the area, which called for pragmatic efforts to address the problem.The Mankralo of the Mepe Tra­ditional area, Togbe Korsi Nego made the appeal at a durbar on Saturday to climax activities mark­ing the 69th Afenorto festival at Mepe in the North Tongu District of the Volta Region on the theme: ''Uniting for Peace and Develop­ment; Post VRA Akosombo Dam Flood Disaster''.The festival created opportunity for family reunions and settlement of misunderstandings among thousands of citizens both home and abroad.Togbe Nego said even though the government promised to sup­port the people, issues of compen­sation and housing still remained as a major problem confronting the victims, which was a major concern to the Traditional Council.The Chief said as a result of the flood, the town roads of Mepe had been destroyed, and entreated the government to reconstruct the roads to facilitate movement of goods and services to promote so­cio-economic activities in the area.The Member of the Counsel of State for the Volta Region, Mr Gabriel Tanko Kwamigah Atokple, lauded the chiefs and people of Mepe for promoting peace and unity in the traditional area through the celebration of the Afenorto festival over the years.Mr Atokple said issues of youth development and employment were at the centre of the govern­ment development agenda and urged the youth to take advan­tage of Technical and Vocational Education to acquire skills and establish their own businesses.The North Tongu District Chief Executive (DCE), Ms Victoria Yawa Doe, assured the chiefs and people of Mepe that the govern­ment was committed to the devel­opment of the area, and was aware of the unfortunate flooding of the area, and would take the necessary steps to address the challenges facing them.Ms Doe announced that per the data of the flood victims, the total number at Mepe is six thousand victims, and issues of compensa­tion would definitely be addressed.The DCE said everything was set for the provision of extra houses for the victims apart from the earlier ones built and appealed to the chiefs to make land available for the housing project, to ensure early start of the project.In a related development, the chief and people of Mepe paid tribute to the eight Ghanaians who died in the last week helicopter crash. FROM SAMUEL AGBEWODE, MEPE