Finance Minister Donates GH¢2m To Akosombo Dam Flood Victims

Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, acting on behalf of the government, has generously donated GH¢2m to aid the Akosombo Dam flood victims

The donation occurred at the North Tongu District Assembly in Mepe, Volta Region, during a visit led by Ofori-Atta and a delegation on Friday, October 27.

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“Let us be encouraged, Ministry of Finance, as a family concerned about what has happened to our brothers and sisters, working with the VRA, we have brought something enough of GH¢ million to be able to support the relief that is going on and to thank Ghanaians for the spontaneous response.” Ken Ofori Atta said.

Regarding the flood situation, Seji Saji Amedonu, Deputy Director-General of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), disclosed that the water levels have begun to recede. He anticipated that it would take about a week for the water to completely recede at the current rate.

Over the past two weeks, the victims of the flood, caused by the spillage of water from the Akosombo and Kpong dams, have appealed for assistance from both the government and donors for resettlement efforts. The Minority in Parliament has also proposed relocating the victims to the stalled Saglemi housing project. However, Deputy Minister for Information, Fatimatu Abubakar, explained that tests are underway to determine if the affected areas are suitable for resettlement, with the results expected to influence the committee’s decisions.

Large areas of land and communities downstream of the Akosombo and Kpong dams have been flooded since October 9, 2023. This follows the second stage leak at two dams used to generate a third of Ghana’s electricity.

Finance Minister Donates GH¢2m To Akosombo Dam Flood Victims

The Volta River Authority (VRA) began controlling the flow of water in the eastern Akosombo and Kpong dams from 15 September 2023 after it became clear that heavy rains had caused excess water in the two reservoirs.

The leak affected almost all communities in the Volta region, causing major power outages in the affected communities.

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As of Thursday, October 12, 2023, the water level in the dam is 276.92 feet, that is, 84.405 meters. Before the leak, the water level was 272.50 feet or 83.058 meters.

The VRA is overflowing the dam because the water in the reservoir has reached the safe operating level for this time of year and the water must be drained from the reservoir to make room for the water flow. If not, water may overflow from the pond and affect its integrity. Question 2. Why does VRA need to splash water from electricity generation?

All existing rooms are now used to generate electricity, but the water entering the reservoir is still higher than before, so electricity generation alone cannot eliminate all the water. If the spill is not contained immediately, water could overflow the dam and cause uncontrollable damage to downstream communities.