The Volta River Authority (VRA) recently held a stakeholder engagement in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality to discuss measures to prevent future spillage from the Akosombo Dam. The session aimed to gather ideas and develop practical strategies to mitigate potential risks and ensure safety.
Participants included community elders, traditional and religious leaders, security personnel, traders, and farmers. Mr. Benjamin Arhin Sackey, Director of Environment and Sustainable Development at VRA, outlined the Authority’s plan to implement a “cautious spill strategy”.
This strategy involves releasing water on a minimum scale to reduce the volume of spillage and prevent destruction. Ms. Akosua Owusu-Efaa, an engineer at VRA, noted that critical planning would prevent the spillage from affecting certain areas.
However, some areas in the Greater Accra and Volta Regions may still experience minimal impact. To minimize the impact on structures along the river channels, a precautionary spill discharge of 50,000 cubic feet per second (CFS) would be contained within the channels.
The VRA also plans to provide advance information to populations at risk of flooding, such as those along the Keta Lagoon and riverbanks, before any potential spill. The engagement is part of a proactive communication approach to lessen the impact on affected areas and ensure the safety of communities.
