‘We will protect Akosombo dam from Galamseyers’ – Director

Mr Richard Oppong Mensah, Director of the Akosombo Hydro Generating Station, has assured that robust measures are in place to prevent illegal miners (Galamseyers) from destroying the Akosombo Dam.

He indicated that there was adequate surveillance of the river to protect it from the activities of Galamseyers “so the public should not worry at all.”

The Director was speaking to the media on Thursday, when the Volta River Authority (VRA) organised a media visit at the Kpone Thermal Power Station and the Akosombo Hydro Generating Station.

The event was aimed at updating the media and the general public on the projects VRA was undertaking to ensure sustainable and reliable power supply in the country.

Mr Mensah said: “We monitor all the banks of the river up to the North and periodically, we go round to inspect the banks. When we find that any activity is drawing closer to our banks, we immediately stop the perpetrator.”

He said the VRA had also warned all chiefs to stay off the banks by 50 metres distance cautioning that, anyone who would flout the directive would certainly be dealt with.

He explained that the 50-metre land space had been bought by the Authority saying, “therefore any attempt to sell it is a gross violation of the law and we will drag you to court to face the necessary sanctions.”

Mr Mensah said periodically, the Authorities of the Station met with the chiefs to discuss all security issues regarding the river and presented a report on their operations to them “and if they have issues, we address them.”

The Akosombo Hydro Generating Station, Mr Mensah said, had undergone significant maintenance including retooling and replacement of weak equipment with modern ones to boost its capacity.

In 1989, the Akosombo Generation Station Retrofit Project was implemented and completed in 2006 which resulted in a significant increment in its capacity by 108MW, from 912MW to 1020MW.

He called on the public to maintain confidence in the VRA as the Authority was working assiduously to ensure that the country had sustainable and reliable power supply.

The GNA found out that work was in progress to increase capacity at the two stations.