Accra: President John Dramani Mahama has warned the Volta River Authority (VRA) leadership of dismissals if another devastating flood occurs due to poor dam spillage management. Preventive measures, including a controlled spill flood plan and downstream engineering solutions, are being implemented, he said.
According to Ghana News Agency, President Mahama warned that if ineffective execution results in another devastating VRA flood like in 2023, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and deputies must either step down or face dismissal. Speaking during a televised address on his 120-day stewardship based on his 26-item social contract, he reaffirmed his commitment to holding officials accountable.
The 2025 budget allocates GHS242.5 million for compensation to victims of the Akosombo dam spillage. President Mahama said a team was coordinating the compensation process and urged chiefs and affected communities to support its smooth execution.
Over 30,000 residents along the Volta Basin were displaced when their communities were submerged in floodwaters from the Akosombo and Kpong dam spillages in 2023. Farmers, households, and businesses lost investments, including farms, properties, and goods, while many were displaced.
Since then, individuals and organisations have provided cash and in-kind donations, including relocating 300 displaced victims under the ‘Safe Alternative Housing Project.’ The Akosombo dam, Ghana’s largest hydroelectric power source, has experienced spillages before- in 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1991, and 2010. However, the destruction caused in 2023 was unprecedented.