Akosombo dam spillage: Consider impacts on ecology and environment in the loss count

The Akosombo dam has become the centre of attention due to the controlled spillage carried out by the Volta River Authority that has caused widespread flooding and displacement of neighbouring communities.

At the last count, about nine (9) districts, including South Tongu, North Tongu, Central Tongu, and Asuogyaman have submerged, and over 8000 residents have been forced to abandon their homes as direct effects of the flooding.

While the immediate and most apparent devastations are undeniable, this article makes a compelling case for consideration of environmental and ecological effects in counting the overall cost of the crisis.

The human costs are immeasurable and should be at the forefront of any response to the crisis. However, beyond the devastation on humans and properties, we must not overlook the overarching impacts on the environment, biodiversity, and the ecological balance essential for sustenance of life in the region.

Loss of biodiversity

From an ecological perspective, the affected communities are not composed of only humans; they comprise trees and animal species. Given the unique biodiversity of the affected communities, wildlife, insects, endemic species, and domestic animals would perish, and many others would be in danger due to the rapid loss of their habitats to the floods. The loss of species richness in the affected areas to the flood would negatively impact the health of the ecosystem providing essential services, such as clean drinking water and sustainable harvesting of forest products.

Impacts on water quality

The floodwater would carry along pollutants, such as pesticides, agricultural nutrients, industrial chemicals, sediments, and hazardous wastes, running off into rivers and degrading their quality. The lives of aquatic species and the well-being of people dependent on these rivers would be at risk. The pollution of these water sources can put the suffering communities at further risk of waterborne illnesses, exacerbating public health problems.

Soil Erosion and Sedimentation

The influx of water spillage can wash off the topsoil of submerged forest areas, especially those along riverbanks, causing them to collapse and alter the landscape. These erosions can harm the fertility of agricultural lands, and sometimes, restoration may take several years and effort to achieve. In addition, floodwater carries sediments from erosion, winding up in water bodies downstream, causing riverbeds to clog and further degrading water quality at the risk of aquatic life and human well-being.

Conclusion:

The emerging stories of families losing their property and the thousands of people displaced from their homes since the Akosombo dam crisis struck are heart-wrenching. Human lives and livelihoods have forever been altered, which is impossible to ignore. However, the impacts are not limited to just humans and their properties. There is a need to consider the broader and long-term consequences, which include environmental and ecological impacts. This awareness must be present at the table of many decision-makings. The absence of it leads to unreflective decisions, such as the one that has resulted in this unfortunate disaster.

—-

The author, James Mensah is an environmental professional and currently a Graduate Public Service Intern at the Office of Environmental Justice, Illinois EPA, USA.