Residents affected by Akosombo Dam spillage refused to evacuate- Sanitation Minister
The Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Freda Prempeh, has blamed residents affected by the Akosombo Dam spillage for refusing to evacuate the area in the event of a spillage.
According to her, the victims refused to relocate despite numerous warnings from the Volta River Authority (VRA) and other state agencies.
Speaking during a forum organised by Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) and its customers in Accra, Freda Prempeh said,while the government and other stakeholders are being blamed for the disaster, the residents also played a role in it.
“The Akosombo dam spillage, even though Volta River Authority, National Disaster Management Organisation, the Water Resources Commission, came together to educate the people in the community and did simulation exercises with them even at Mepe, yet, they refused to leave. They did not want to be evacuated, and they stayed there till the end when we started spilling.
“Unfortunately, look at what is happening, and the government has to spend millions of money on relief items, and education. The water in the whole area is contaminated and the Ghana Water Company and Water Resources Commission will have to spend millions of money to treat the water before we can pass it through our pipes.
“So a stitch in time saves nine. Sometimes it’s difficult to accept the situation, but we will plead with all of you to accept it as it is. Water is life and is essential to everything,” she said.
Over 26,000 people have been displaced following the spillage of the Akosombo dam in various communities in the Volta and Eastern regions.
The VRA commenced controlled spillage from the Akosombo and Kpong Dams on September 15, 2023, due to a consistent rise in the inflow pattern and water level of the Akosombo reservoir.
Residents in South Tongu, North Tongu, Central Tongu, Asuogyaman, and several other areas have had homes submerged due to the spillage.
The government has reiterated its commitment to help the victims of the Akosombo Dam spillage to rebuild their lives and return to normalcy.