STAKEHOLDERS’ ENGAGEMENT ON POSSIBLE AKOSOMBO DAM SPILLAGE

The Volta River Authority (VRA) annual ‘Emergency Preparedness Plan’ for awareness creation for stakeholders in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality was held on 24th July, 2024 at the Municipal Assembly Conference Hall.The objective of this engagement was to enlighten the stakeholders on communities that are likely to be affected in an event the Akosombo Dam is spill and precautionary measure they are to take.

Speaking on the immediate past spillage by the VRA, Mr. Adams Zachariah, the Municipal NADMO Director, detailed the contributions made by VRA and other organizations to the affected areas. He indicated that government is committed to pay some compensation to the affected people but is not yet ready.

 He said, he is optimistic that in some few months to come the victims will receive their compensation. Presenting for VRA Eugenia Akosua Owusu Sefah stated the repercussions of the proposed 2024 precautionary spillage and mention districts that will be affected and those that will not. She said  Asuogyaman, Lower Manya, Shai Osudoku, and Ada West, are considered safe from the potential water spillage, whereas Ada East, (North, South, and Central) Tongu, Keta, and Anloga are consistently impacted due to their location in low-lying or Volta bank areas. An analysis of these affected regions revealed their vulnerability to flooding due to factors such as being situated on flood-prone lands, reliance on the river, and settlement patterns. Madam Sefah emphasized that releasing fifty thousand (50,000) cubic feet per second (CFS) of water would have minimal downstream effects, confining the water within the river channel and preventing a recurrence of the devastating flooding witnessed in September 2023.

Residents of the Kpong area, in close proximity to the river, are advised to take precautionary measures to mitigate potential impacts in case VRA decides to increase the volume of the spillage.

 

It is worth noting that the VRA has previously conducted a series of consultations with stakeholders in the aforementioned six (6) affected areas from the September 2023 Spillage, aiming to educate them on the potential precautionary spillage and its associated factors.

Among the attendees were the Municipal Chief Executive, Traditional leaders, members of the Clergy, the Imam, Heads of Departments, and representatives from Media Houses, among others.

By: Abraham Tettey Wayo

 

MIO: Lower Manya Krobo.

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