Akosombo dam spillage: VRA spends GH¢9m on 36,000 displaced persons

The Volta River Authority (VRA) has revealed that GH¢9 million has been spent on 36,000 people displaced by the floods following the recent spillage of the Akosombo and Kpong dams.

According to the authority, the continuous support being extended to the victims is to alleviate their plight until the water recedes.

At a press briefing on October 23, the Deputy Chief Executive in Charge of Services at the VRA, Ing. Ken Arthur, emphasized that the authority is committed to providing adequate support to the displaced victims in South Tongu, Central Tongu, North Tongu, and other places.

He also noted that no death has been recorded so far.

“Acknowledging the many challenges facing the affected communities, VRA and the entire relief team are engaged in the regular supply of food items such as rice, maize, beans, gari, sugar, mackerel, cooking oil, palm oil, tomato paste, groundnuts, biscuits, fruit juice, powdered milk, and drinking water”.

“Other non-food relief items include mosquito repellent creams, mosquito nets, blankets, mattresses, solar-powered lanterns with telephone charging features, sanitary items, and many more,” he said.

Mr. Arthur added that a number of humanitarian efforts have been carried out, including the deployment of water tankers to consistently make water available to the affected people and the provision of medical items and personnel to screen and administer medical treatment to emerging health issues.

“The authority provided buses, trucks, and pick-up vehicles to assist in the internal transportation of both goods and affected people, restored the damaged community water supply pumps in Aveyime, installed a potable water treatment system at the St. Kizito School, a safe haven in Mepe, and, with the support of the Ministry of Energy, distributed 5,000 solar lamps to the various camps”.

Moreover, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has reconnected the power supply to the St. Kizito safe haven in Mepe.

“Zoomlion has been contracted to provide mobile toilets, service them, and also provide sanitation services at the safe havens”.

“An access road has been created in Mepe to the St. Kizito center to avoid accessing by boat.”

He added that “there had been the clearance of weeds from the Sogakope bridge to facilitate the flow of the river into the ocean”.

“We wish to assure the public that VRA will continue to monitor the situation and provide the needed support, together with the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) and the other relevant agencies, to ensure the well-being of the affected communities”.

“The authority reiterates that no one will be left behind in this emergency situation,” he emphasized.

Subsequently, VRA called on the general public to empathize with the affected victims by donating any items to them.

The authority showed gratitude to NADMO and all relevant agencies for their unwavering support since the disaster occurred.

The second-stage spillage of the two dams has wreaked havoc on residents situated within the Asuogyaman District in the Eastern Region, where the Akosombo Dam is located, and in the North, Central, and South Tongu districts in the Volta Region.

Residents are still counting their losses as houses and structures for businesses are submerged.

As of Thursday, October 12, the water level in the Akosombo Dam was 276.92 feet, or 84.405 meters, instead of 276 feet.

Before the spillage, the level was 272.50 feet or 83.058 meters.

At a press conference at the Akosombo Generation Station on Thursday, October 12, the Deputy Chief Executive of VRA in charge of Engineering and Operations, Edward Obeng Kenzo, explained that the spillage was necessitated by high inflows into the Akosombo reservoir, resulting in the water level exceeding its upper level.

He said the spillage was to prevent the water from overtopping and compromising the integrity of the dam.

This is not the first time VRA has spilled water from the Akosombo Dam. The last was in 2010, having spilled water from the dam in 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, and 1991.