Akosombo dam spillage: Finance Ministry donates GH¢2M to displaced victims
The Finance Ministry has donated an amount of GH¢2 million to support residents affected by the Akosombo Dam spillage.
The sector minister Ken Ofori-Atta led a delegation to visit the affected areas on Friday, October 27.
The donation was made at the North Tongu District Assembly at Mepe in the Volta Region.
Aside from the main donation, the staff of the ministry also donated GH¢50,000 towards the same course.
Speaking on the sidelines, Mr. Ofori-Atta noted, “Let us be encouraged, Ministry of Finance as a family is concerned about what has happened to our brothers and sisters. We have brought GH¢2 million to support the relief that is going on and to thank Ghanaians for the spontaneous response”.
He reiterated that the government has put in place safe havens to cater for the affected communities.
“Clearly we are also prepared in terms of getting them safe havens. So we are looking forward to supporting immediately as people have done and also looking for long-term measures to make sure that alternatives are provided.
“The issue of returning to homes is not a simple decision because of the issues of health. And so we need to put something in place to have access to capital to ensure that people can construct much faster,” he said.
Mr Ofori-Atta also announced that long-term relief measures for the victims of the Akosombo Dam spillage will be taken into consideration during the formulation of the 2024 budget.
The controlled spillage from the Akosombo and Kpong Dams, initiated on September 15, 2023, became necessary due to heavy rainfall in the Volta River catchment, causing a rapid rise in the water level in the Akosombo Dam.
This measure was taken to prevent overtopping and to protect the dam’s integrity.
As of early October, the water level continued to rise rapidly, surpassing the maximum operating level of 276 feet.
Consequently, the VRA increased the spill rate from October 9, 2023, flooding several communities in the North, South, and Central Tongu District and the Ada East District.
Throughout this period, high-level members of the VRA and the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) were present in the affected areas, assessing the impact of the spill and providing relief items alongside educational outreach on safety in the communities.
The VRA and NADMO have been evacuating affected individuals to safe havens on higher ground, ensuring their safety during these challenging times.