The Volta River Authority (VRA), managers of the Akosombo and Kpong hydroelectric power dams in the Republic of Ghana has presented relief items to the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) for onward distribution to communities affected by the ongoing spilling of water from the two dams.
The relief items which included mattresses, blankets, various food items, clothes and toiletries were presented by Ing. Ken Arthur, the Deputy Chief Executive in-charge of Services of VRA to the Director General of NADMO, Mr. Eric Nana Agyemang Prempeh at a short ceremony at the Central Tongu District Assembly in Adidome.
The Districts affected by the spilling are South Tongu, Central Tongu , North Tongu and Anlo all the Volta Region and Asuogyaman District in the Eastern Region and Ada East and Shai Osudoku in the Greater Accra Region.
Energynewsafrica.com team joined officials of VRA and NADMO to visit some of the affected areas in Central Tongu.
Communities hardly hit by the spilling in the Central Tongu included Mafi Dugame, Atsemkofe, Avadinoekowe, Akpokofe, Siamekofe and Devine.
In the North Tongu District, energynewsafrica.com understands Mepe is one the worse affected areas as most houses have been submerged.
Speaking to Nana Agyemang Prempeh, Director General of NADMO, he said it is their responsibility as disaster management organization to ensure that people affected by the disaster are given some relief items to minimize their pain and rescue people to safe areas.
He said the items from the Volta River Authority is the first consignment of relief items to be distributed to the affected communities adding that “from tomorrow going more relief items would be despatched to the affected communities.”
He said a team from NADMO and VRA have been in the communities to sensitise them.
He said it has become necessary for VRA to spill the dam and urged residents at the downstream of the Akosombo and Kpong hydroelectric dams to move to higher grounds.
Mr. Agyemang Prempeh could not immediately provide the number of residents who have been impacted by the spilling so far.
The District Chief Executive for Central Tongu Assembly, Thomas Moore Zonyrah told this portal that they have evacuated about 320 people from the two Islands in the District to a safe haven adding that steps are being taken to evacuate the remaining people.
He also appealed to residents in low areas to avoid being threatened by by the spillage.
The VRA commenced the controlled spillage on September 15 , 2023, due to consistent rise in the inflow pattern and water level of the Akosombo reservoir.
In line with its emergency preparedness plan and standard operating procedures, the authority notified its stakeholders, including the downstream communities.
The Authority reiterated that it would continue to work with NADMO and other stakeholders to monitor the situation and provide regular updates to the general public accordingly.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com