Akosombo spillage to end soon – Awotwi
Mr Kweku Awotwi, Chief Executive Officer of Volta River Authority (VRA) on Wednesday said Management would stop the spilling of the Akosombo Dam by next week.
This, he said, would happen if the level of the water in the dam continue to drop.
The level of the water had dropped by 0.12 to 277.42 cubic feet from 277.54 cubic feet on Tuesday.
Mr Awotwi made the observation when he led journalists to inspect some areas in the Volta Region that had been affected by the spillage.
He said the level was the lowest recorded since the spilling begun and expressed the hope that the trend would continue.
At Aveyime, Mr Martins Akpaloo, Administrator of Aveyime Water and Sanitation Services, pleaded with the management of VRA to help replace some items, which were washed away by the flood to enable the company to continue with its activities.
At Mepe, a team of personnel from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and the 48 Engineers Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces have been deployed to sensitise the people about the possible effects of the spillage and carry out rescue missions should it become necessary.
However, no fatalities have been recorded in the area, although some farms had been destroyed at Battor in the North Tongu District.
Lieutenant Frank Amponsah, Spokesman of the 48-Engineers Regiment said the team had been in the area since November 6, and had visited about six communities so far but had recorded no loss of life.
He said the people have been educated and were ready to evacuate should the level of the water continue to rise.
The team also visited Tsawetsonya, one of the six villages on the island on the Volta River at Ada-Foah, where the people had experienced the worst flooding in the region.
The spillage of the dam coincided with high tides which led to the flooding.
NADMO had provided some tents for the displaced people, which had been erected on the higher grounds on the island.
However, the tents were inadequate, with about 10 people sharing one.
Mr Winfred Tesia, Greater Accra Regional Co-ordinator of NADMO said level of the water had been stabilised.
He stated that Ada-Foah was located between the sea and the Volta River and would be affected badly if the area experience tidal waves while the spillage continue.
Other villages on the island which were affected include Azakpe,
Alorpe, Ajim, Alozome and Azizanya.
In all about 440 people have been displaced in about 10 communities in the region.
Mr Awotwi assured the people that the management of VRA would provide five more tents to house the displaced people on the island and provide money to replace the water pump at Aveyime with a bigger one as well as the items lost.
He expressed the hope that the VRA would be in a better position to deal with any effects of a spillage next year, with adequate preparation and by involving all stakeholders.
“There is a 20 -30 per cent chance of a spillage next year if the rainfall patterns remain the same,” he said, adding ” the safety of the people is paramount and this exercise has been quite successful”.
Source: GNA