VRA is not overwhelmed by dam spillage situation – Deputy CEO

The Deputy Chief Executive In charge of Engineering and Operations at the Volta River Authority (VRA), Edward Ekow Obeng-Kenzo, has noted that the current situation of spillage from the Akosombo is under control.

He said the Authority is not overwhelmed because it is an experienced institution and “what we're seeing is as we predicted it".

Obeng-Kenzo also noted that the people took heed to the warnings that were given prior to the beginning of the exercise, reason no casualties have been recorded so far.

“We can say for a fact that, per the record so far, we think the communities really knew what was coming and were prepared. They took precautionary measures and evacuated themselves, which is why as of today, we don't have any fatal incident in the case of someone getting drowned in the water, or someone trapped in their homes,” he said on JoyNews.

The VRA started the controlled spillage at the Akosombo and Kpong dams in the Eastern Region on September 15, 2023, following excess water in both reservoirs.

As of 17 October 2023, an estimated 26,000 persons had been displaced as a result of the spillage. This is the highest magnitude of displacement and volume since the establishment of the Akosombo Dam, which takes its source from six different tributaries.

This is not the first time the VRA is spilling water from the Dam. It did spill in 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, and 1991, with the most recent one being 2010.

SSD/NOQ

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