The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) 48 Engineer Regiment has rescued hundreds of flood victims to safe havens following the spillage of the Akosombo Dam. GAF said this was in a swift response to a distress call to save lives and properties in the Volta Region following the spillage of the Akosombo Dam. GAF said that the humanitarian move comes at the back of the activation of Operation Boafo at Mepe and Aveyime to minimize the catastrophic effect the spillage is having on residents within the area.
“The operation would continue until the water levels reduce and life returns to normalcy,” GAF said. The Volta River Authority (VRA) last week called for cooperation and support to deal with the impact of the flood.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the VRA, Mr Emmanuel Antwi-Darkwa said that the lake was experiencing inflows more than expected hence the spillage is going to continue.
“We are on phase II [of the spillage] right now and it is a cycle. It is normal at this time of the year for us to experience inflows. The difference is that we are getting more than expected and to safeguard this dam means that we have to spill water, that is the standard operation for any hydro dam but the inflows that we are seeing now are in excess.
“Definitely, as the cycle goes through this will recede so we are hoping it will recede in the next time,” he told journalists on Thursday, October 12.
“The spilling may continue even though we are anticipating that the levels may drop down to phase 1, which was started on September 15 but of course, we did not have much excess as we are seeing now, this is an emergency as we have seen from the beginning.
“Whether dredging or no dredging it is an emergency. The volume of water that is coming into the lake right now which we have to throw out, it means that we need to evacuate people from wherever they are to ensure they are safe until the inflows recede,” he added.
The VRA was accused of neglecting its responsibilities in the Lower Volta Basin hence the huge impact of flood caused by spillage from the Akosombo and Kpong Dams on communities.
The Ghana Armed Forces 48 Engineer Regiment has rescued hundreds of flood victims to safe havens following the spillage of the Akosombo dam.https://t.co/r1aa4NYqeb pic.twitter.com/2nDp85bxZO
— Ghana Armed Forces (@GhArmedForces) October 16, 2023
By: Laud Nartey
