Weija, Nov. 12, GNA - Weija Dam, which supplies potable
water to over two million people in Accra is said to be under serious threat of run-over that could cause
destruction of lives and property because of illegal activities by
developers and stone winners. Encroachment on the Dam area has taken a different
dimension in recent times as developers and stone winners now
resort to the use of explosives (dynamites) to detonate the rocks
that served as protection to the dam. Water experts have therefore warned of possible danger and
predicted that the extent of destruction could spread and
submerge areas such as Odorkor and Dansoman which are
about 10 to 15 kilometers away from the dam, should the
run-over occur. Briefing the press on the situation on Monday during a tour, Mr Michael Amuakwa, Plant Manager at the Weija Water
Treatment Plant explained that the explosives, besides breaking
the mountains, also weakened the foundational structure of the
dam. He said people have defied several warnings not to build or
carry out any form of human activity within the catchment zone
despite the fact that they were aware that the land was the
property of the Ghana Water Company which belonged to the
government. Mr Amuakwa said because the stone quarrying had now
reached close to the banks of the dam, a lot of foreign materials
have entered it, which made it difficult to determine the level
and volume of water in the dam. He said the situation called for an immediate radical
intervention by all interested stakeholders to save the dam. "It is not just an eyesore, but a catastrophe. The unfortunate
thing is that the people living here do not even know the serious
health threat they are in case of a chlorine gas leakage," Mr Amuakwa said. Mr Ronald Abrahams, Programme Coordinator of the Water
Resources Commission said, "there is no substitute anywhere to
the Weija Water Treatment Plant therefore everything must be
done to protect it." He said so far, government had invested about three billion
Ghana Cedi in the plant operations, which supplied water to
strategic areas such as the Castle (seat of Government), Korle Bu
Teaching Hospital and Ridge Hospital. 12 Nov. 07
