What would have happened if VRA did not spill Akosombo Dam water - Energy minister explains

The Minister of Energy, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has explained the potential consequences that could have transpired had the Volta River Authority (VRA) not initiated the spillage of excess water from the Akosombo Dam.

According to him, the spillage was necessary to protect the structural integrity of the dam and preserve its continuous usage.

Addressing the aftermath of the spillage in parliament, on Wednesday, November 8, 2023, the minister addressed explained that the spillage came at a time the water level in the Akosombo Dam was over the maximum limit, hence the spill.

To him, delaying the decision to spill would have resulted in a much larger impact than what we have witnessed.

“Mr Speaker, on October 9, the graduated spill rate of 9 (cubic metre per second) m3/s, the elevation of the dam was 276. 43 ft which was over one feet below the targeted mark of 277.5 ft, that is for safe operations. If flown above 250,000 m3/s, would each day translate into about approximately 0,2 feet rise per day for the next five days and consequently exceed the conform safe limit for the operation of the dam.

“There was therefore the need to increase the spill rate to approximately 180,000 m3/s to safeguard the integrity of the Akosombo dam and to prevent a possible dam break situation which would have had imaginable catastrophic outcomes. Delaying the decision to increase the spillage rate would imply risking the integrity of Akosombo and Kpong dams. The need to increase the speed rate to close to 200, 000 m3/s in the ensuing days to make up for the delays. This would have resulted in a much larger impact than what we have witnessed, which would also mean that some of the identified safe havens would no longer be used for that purpose,” he stated.

Furthermore, the minister stressed the risky situation that would happen to the Sogakope Bridge, should the dam break.

"Additionally, Mr Speaker, the Sogakope Bridge also stood on a risk of being compromised, if higher volumes were spilled. The Sogakope bridge, to refresh our memory, is the longest bridge we have in the country and a critical infrastructure that facilitates trade between Ghana and our neighbouring countries.

“To avoid the risks of a dam break which would have resulted in a greater catastrophe, the only option to the dam’s operators was to spill at the record rate,” he added.

Background

Several communities in the Volta Region have been left flooded due to the spillage of excess water from the Akosombo Dam by the Volta River Authority (VRA).

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo on Monday, October 16, 2023, visited Mepe, a community in the region which the government has indicated has suffered the worst effects from the spillage.

A video sighted by GhanaWeb has shown very scary levels of flood in the Mepe.

Almost all the buildings, including homes and other properties, that were captured in the video were completely submerged underwater.

The video was shot by a group of church leaders of the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra who were in the community to inspect the extent of damage by the spillage of the dam.

The financial administrator of the archdiocese, Rev Father John Neumann Tettehfio, who was part of the group, could be heard saying “You see this nice house, everything is in water… you can see a whole shop every everything is in the water.”

He indicated that he was sent by the Archbishop of Accra, Most Rev John Bonaventure Coffie, to assess the situation on the ground so that the church can send the needed help to the community members.

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