'Why can't we divert Akosombo Dam spillage into the sea?' - Bawumia

There mist be a better and less destructive way of spilling excess water from the Akosombo Dam, Vice President Mahamusu Bawumia has said.

One of those ways, he proposed during a tour of flood-ravaged areas in the Volta Region on Wednesday, 18 October 2023, is to divert tye excess water into the sea.

So far, the floods, caused by the controlled spillage, has displaced more than 26,000 people, mostly in the Volta Region, destroyed swathes of farmlands as well as submerged homes.

The last time such a disaster happened was 60 years ago, which necessitated the resettlement of some communities to their current locations.

While touring the South and Central Tongu districts, Dr Bawumia said there was the need for the engineers at the Volta River Authority, managers of the dam, to find a lasting solution to the problem since, he fears this may not be the last spillage we would see.

“Ten years ago, our worry was about the low level of water in the dam; today, we are worried about the high level of the water in the dam. So, climate change is bringing in new situations that we have to handle, and, so, I want to challenge the VRA and NADMO: let us start thinking of long-term solutions to this spillage from the dam".

"Is there a way we can manage the spillage?" the vice president asked.

"Of course, I am not an engineer, so, I want you the engineers to handle it", he challenged, pointing out: "But one thing I have thought of is: why can’t we have pipelines to the sea?"

He, however, conceded that he was deficient in the subject. "But this is just someone who is not abreast of your field".

"Can we manage this spillage in a way that does not flood the immediate areas, divert the water as far as into the sea?", he wondered.

Dr Bawumia also empathised with the victims and said measures are being put in place to bring immediate and long-term relief to the communities affected.

“As you know, an inter-ministerial committee has been set up. VRA and NADMO are fully engaged in providing relief and the Ministry of Agriculture has also been tasked to start looking at how we will restore the livelihoods of the farmers along the banks of the river who have been displaced. And so beyond just providing temporary relief, we are looking at a more sustained approach to the victims so that they can restore the livelihoods that they have”, he said.