Volta River Authority Spills: Over 26 Thousand Ghanaians Displaced .

By Jessica Ahedor

In a somber tale that has left pregnant women and schoolchildren among its victims, over 26,000 Ghanaians have been forcibly displaced by the unprecedented spillage of water orchestrated by the Volta River Authority from its Akosombo and Kpong Dams. A heart-rending reality unfolds, where only ten thousand individuals have found refuge, leaving the rest in a state of disarray and uncertainty.

Esinu Dzakah, a pregnant mother of three, shares her harrowing ordeal, emphasizing the dire consequences of this disaster. "Our very means of survival and the shelter we called home have been washed away. I find myself without the strength to provide for my children. Hospitals and clinics have shuttered their doors due to the unrelenting flood, leaving me stranded even on my planned antenatal visit." What's more, there was little forewarning, leaving these families with scant time to brace for the impending catastrophe.

Edward Ekow Obeng-Kenzo, the Deputy Chief Executive of the VRA responsible for Engineering and Operations, takes the stage, revealing that they had meticulously planned for such a scenario. Unfortunately, the impact has far exceeded their worst fears. "Communities were trained on how to evacuate their homes, first-aid, and early warning systems. Relief agencies had been engaged in the process of searching and rescuing trapped victims in potential flood areas," Kenzo asserts.

This disastrous chapter began on September 15, 2023, as part of a disaster mitigation plan, with a low initial flow rate that didn't significantly impact downstream communities. However, on October 10, 2023, the situation took a grim turn, as six spillage gates were opened due to rising water levels nearing the dams' maximum capacity.

A distressing fact arises from the management of VRA: the Akosombo Dam, which generates 120 megawatts of hydropower, is on the precipice of catastrophe if the Emergency Preparedness Plan isn't executed urgently. "Controlled spillage of water from the Akosombo and Kpong Dams began due to high inflows into the reservoir, preventing the water from overtopping and compromising the dam's integrity," the authority states.

To put this into perspective, the Akosombo Dam's storage capacity stands at a colossal 150 billion cubic meters. What is currently being released is a mere 6,600 cubic meters, representing a minuscule 0.000004 percent, as explained by Kenzo. When the spillage commenced on September 15, 2023, the water level stood at 272.50 feet, and currently, the rate has surged to 183,000 cubic feet per second.

Kenneth Mensah Arthur, Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Services at the VRA, delivers a stark ultimatum, saying, "It is either we allow the water to flow or watch the dam's integrity crumble, a catastrophic event that would jeopardize millions of lives in the Eastern, Volta, and Greater Accra Regions."

Communities in Crisis

The fallout from the spillage has been severe, affecting nearly all communities along the lower Volta Basin. Widespread power outages have crippled daily life, with the GRIDCo sub-station at Fievie, Sogakope, inundated by floods, causing a shutdown.

In the absence of electricity, critical public installations, including hospitals in Sogakope and Adidome, now bear the brunt of flooding, endangering the lives of patients. Entire communities have been cut off as road networks disappear beneath the deluge, leaving commuters stranded and resorting to perilous boat and canoe journeys, often without life jackets.

The raging floodwaters have devoured many homes in communities like Tefle, Wume, Sokpoe, Alikekope, Agorme, and Agbave, to name just a few.

Looming Health Crisis

Experts are sounding alarm bells over the potential for disease outbreaks, such as cholera and malaria, as morgues become flooded with bodies in them. Distraught relatives desperately call for the removal of their deceased loved ones. In Sogakope, 25 nurses were evacuated from their quarters at the Comboni District Hospital.

The volume of water spilling from the dams has also caused lagoons in the Keta basin to overflow, leading to flooding in many communities in the Anlo and Keta districts as well.

In response to this calamity, President Nana Akufo Addo and Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia have visited the affected communities, pressing the VRA to prioritize residents' safety. Deputy Minister of Energy, Herbert Krapa, while lauding the VRA's initiative to spill excess water and safeguard the dams, has underlined the need for the authority to provide relief items for the victims. The government has pledged support to ensure the well-being of all affected individuals, recognizing the paramount importance of protecting this national asset.

A History of Struggle

This is not the first time the VRA has resorted to spilling water from the Akosombo Dam. Historical records indicate that spillage occurred in 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1991, and more recently, in 2010. Each time, it was an effort to prevent the water from overtopping the dam and preserve its structural integrity.

Food Security in Jeopardy

The Volta basin has long been a vital source of staple foods such as vegetables, rice, maize, cassava, and fish. However, the spillage has wrought havoc, washing away crops and farms. Edudzi Dovia, a rice and vegetable farmer in the central Tongu district, stands amidst the ruins, lamenting the loss of over 100 acres of rice and 6 acres of assorted vegetables. "I don't know how I will survive this; I had taken loans for this farm," he bemoans.

In the face of this overwhelming catastrophe, Ghanaians unite to provide aid and support to those affected by the Volta River Authority spillage. The need for swift action and recovery has never been more pressing.