The decision by the Volta River Authority to spill excess water flowing the Akosombo dam in 2023 was necessary but needed a more effective control spillage floodplain to minimise the impact at downstream, fresh report from the technical team has revealed.
A designated floodplain should be delineated to accommodate spill discharges in the short term to medium term in response to climate change uncertainties and in the long term.
Resilience improvement projects should consider critical public infrastructure upgrades located in the floodplain, including Sogakope bridge and hospitals, Mr Kirk Koffi, the Chairman said when he presented the report to Mr Richard Gyan Mensah, the Deputy Minister of Energy and green transition in Accra.
He noted that there was the urgent need for the enactment of a Legislative Instrument for the downstream floodplain (contour line) to prevent inhabitants from settling or building those areas.
Mr Koffi said the Committee identified a lack of localized emergency preparedness as a major gap in district-level disaster response and called for the simplification of the Volta River Authority’s Emergency Preparedness Plan (EPP) into infographics and local languages to enhance community understanding and action.
To address the high turnover of political appointees and coordination gaps, the report he said recommends the formation of a multi-stakeholder disaster task force involving Members of Parliament (MPs), Municipal and District Chief Executives (MCEs/DCEs), and traditional authorities, supported by regular public accountability reporting.
The Committee also highlighted the importance of engineering solutions, such as improving river channels and vegetative buffer zones with mangroves downstream and bamboo plantations upstream, to increase water conveyance and reduce inundation.
Mr Koffi said the committee proposed the development of multi-purpose safe havens on elevated land that can double as schools or community centres and be converted into shelters during emergencies. These should be complemented by psychosocial support services and feedback mechanisms to capture community experiences.
On the issue of compensation, the Committee recommended a transparent compensation process, including the establishment of district-level accounts managed by the Ministry of Finance, local MPs, and Assemblies. Verification of claims would involve traditional leaders and local opinion leaders.
“Compensation is a critical issue for affected communities, especially farmers, fishers, and business owners who have lost livelihoods,” the report emphasised.
It called for a comprehensive audit of damages and the timely disbursement of funds as budgeted in the 2025 national budget.
The report is part of broader efforts to respond to the 2023 dam spillage, which displaced thousands and caused widespread destruction in parts of the Volta, Eastern, and Greater Accra regions.
Mr Mensah, who received the report on behalf of Mr Abdullah Jionapoh, the Minister of Energy and Green Transition thanked the team for a comprehensive work and said the government would take the necessary steps to implement the recommendations.
“This report is crucial in our efforts to address the impact of the dam spillage. We are determined to turn these recommendations to actionable solutions that prioritise the well-being of our citizens,” Ok
source:www.senaradioonline.com
