Politics of Saturday, 10 February 2024
Source: www.ghanaweb.live
2024-02-10John Mahama to commission housing project for 300 victims of Akosombo Dam spillage
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa(left), John Mahama (right)
The inauguration of the second phase of the project initiated by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Member of Parliament representing North Tongu, to provide accommodation for constituents who lost their homes due to the Akosombo dam spillage, is imminent.
A total of 300 beneficiaries will be housed in the newly constructed buildings.
The inauguration ceremony, slated for today,
Read full articleFebruary 10, 2024, will be graced by the presence of former President John Dramani Mahama, as announced by Mr. Ablakwa in a post on social media.
He posted: "All is set for today’s commissioning by H.E. John Mahama of the North Tongu MP & Partners Safe Alternative Housing Project which will house another 300 VRA spillage victims. Glory be to God and our amazing partners for what we have achieved after 7 weeks of construction. I shall keep my pledge of leaving no spillage victim behind. In this together, rising together."
Background:
On September 15, 2023, the Akosombo and Kpong dams owned by the Volta River Authority (VRA) began to spill water due to an increase in the inflow pattern and water level of the Akosombo reservoir.
The spillage exercise started slowly as a disaster mitigation plan, with no significant impact on the downstream communities.
However, on October 10, 2023, the VRA opened six spillage gates to increase the flow, as the water-inflow kept increasing and levels got close to the maximum capacity that the dam can take.
The VRA explained that the exercise was crucial to protect the dam's integrity and technological installations.
Unfortunately, the heightened spillage led to an overflow of the Volta River's banks, displacing settlements in about nine different district assemblies in the Volta and Eastern regions.
The affected districts include North, Central, and South Tongu District Assemblies, Asuogyaman, Shai Osudoku, and Ada. Almost all communities along the lower Volta Basin were affected, resulting in widespread power cuts, submerged houses, and displaced people going hungry.
Mr Ablakwa's constituency was the most affected area, with several thousands of people affected by the dam spillage. In response to the hardships faced by the homeless victims of the spillage, the MP pledged to construct homes for them.
