Uncertainty Surrounds Duration of Akosombo Dam Spillage as VRA Provides No Clear Timeline
Management of the Volta River Authority (VRA) are asking residents to “expect more spillage” as engineers at the hydro dam say they cannot tell when the exercise will come to an end.
The Volta River Authority commenced the spillage of excess water on September 15, due to rising levels of the Akosombo and Kpong hydro dams.
While the current inflow to the reservoir is pegged at 400,000 cubic feet of water per second, the authority says it is spilling just about 183,000 cubic feet of water, and they cannot ascertain when the spilling exercise will be over.
This was revealed by the Deputy Chief Executive of the VRA in charge of services, Ing. Kenneth Arthur, when the Deputy Minister of Energy, Herbert Krapah, led a government delegation to assess the level of spillage.
Responding to questions on when the spillage is likely to end, Ing. Arthur said, “We can’t tell specifically. We wish this will stop within about a week, but this may continue even though we are anticipating that the levels may drop down to phase one which was started on September 15, 2023.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Energy, Herbert Krapah, who led a government delegation to the VRA on Thursday, October 12, said there is a need to strike a fine balance between saving the integrity of the Akosombo dam and mitigating the impact of the spillage on lives and property.
According to him, the government is working assiduously with the VRA and other state institutions to reduce the impact of the spillage and provide relief items to affected Ghanaians.
“We, as a government, are interested in protecting a national asset and cushioning people who have been affected by the spill.”
He added that halting the operation over concerns of flooding downstream could cause potential damage to the dam.
So far, nine districts have been affected by the spillage. Some of the hardest-hit districts include the South, Central, and North Tongu districts in the Volta Region, where many residents have had to evacuate.
The Volta River Authority says it is collaborating with the district assemblies and the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) to provide relief items to all affected citizens.
Source: Myjoyonline.com