Communities along White Volta Basin warned about spillage

Bolgatanga, Aug 3, GNA - Communities and farmers living along the

White Volta Basin in the Upper East Region have been warned about the

possibility of the spillage of the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso.

Mr Mark Woyongo, the Upper East Regional Minister, told journalists

at a press conference that information received from the Electricity

Cooperation, SONABEL, of Burkina Faso, through Ghana Embassy in

Ouagadougou, showed that there had been a steady rise in the level of

water in the Bagre and Kompiengo dams.

This might necessitate spillage if the water level approached the

maximum capacity of 234 cubic metres.

He said the spillage was likely to occur any time during this month

and called on those living along the White Volta Basin and low land areas

to move.

Mr Woyongo said Bagre Dam, as at July 29, was 230.56 cubic metres

and is increasing very fast with each heavy rain and added that if the

trend continued unchanged the dam was likely to attain a maximum

level of 234 cubic metres in 12 days from last Thursday.

He said the message had already been communicated to the National

Management and Disaster Organization to prepare in case of disaster.

Last year spillage of the dam resulted in floods in many parts of the

Region especially communities along the White Volta Basin that killed

people and animals and destroyed crops.