Spillage of water from dams in Burkina Faso suspended

Tamale, Aug 12, GNA - Chief Kpaana M.B. Bawah, a Member of the Council of State, said on Friday that spillage of water from the Bagre and the Kompienga dams in Burkina Faso had been suspended because water in the dams had not reached their maximum level.

Chief Bawah, the Chairman of the Regional Platform on Disaster Management, said the opening might be done next week depending on water inflows into the dams.

The Council of State member, who was addressing Members of the Regional Platform Committee in-charge of disasters in Tamale, appealed to the platform to increase education of people living in flood prone areas to move upland.

He said the 11-member platform would divide itself into five groups and visit West Mamprusi, Central, West and East Gonja, Tolon/Kumbungu, Savelugu/Nanton and Kpandai districts that flood-prone to alert them on the opening of the dams.

Alhaji Abdulai Mahama Silimboma, the Regional Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), said there had been sensitization on radio about the opening of the dams.

He said NADMO was also gathering logistics including tents and food aid to assist people when the need arises.

Alhaji Silimboma appealed to the District Assemblies and opinion leaders to extend the sensitization and the early warning systems to communities along the White Volta Basin to relocate to higher grounds.