The Volta River Authority (VRA) has commenced stakeholder engagements on its Annual Emergency Preparedness Plan and Environmental Management Plan in Koforidua ahead of the impending rainy season.
Controlled spillage by VRA in October 2023, resulted in disaster where floods submerged homes, schools, hospitals, and farmlands, displacing thousands of residents in districts such as North Tongu, South Tongu, Ada East, and Shai Osudoku.
Although the Volta River Authority is yet to determine whether there will be controlled spillage from the Akosombo and Kpong Dams this year, management believes the strategic meetings on Emergency Preparedness and Environmental Management Plans with key partners including District Assemblies, NADMO, the Police, and the Military will enhance coordination in the event of any unforeseen emergencies.
Ing. Abdul Noor Wahab, Director for Water Resources and Renewable Energy, VRA told the media in Koforidua that the engagement ” is an early warning tools that is used to inform stakeholders about the possible spillage or Dam break and through that various people that are likely to be impacted are informed so that they take the necessary action. That is what we’ve been doing since 2011 when we developed the emergency preparedness plan document. So everyone tear we have an engagement with all the stakeholders and this year too we have started the engagement”
According to the VRA, its monitoring systems are actively tracking water levels in tributaries, the Volta Lake reservoir, and utilizing forecasts from the Meteorological Agency to guide decision-making processes.
As part of proactive measures, the VRA has already taken ten downstream districts through comprehensive flood contingency planning exercises aimed at building early warning systems and strengthening community resilience.
Ing. Abdul Noor Wahab, Director for Water Resources and Renewable Energy said all these are recommendations made by the committee that investigated the 2023 spillage disaster.
“We investigated the matter the committee has prepared a report and lead recommendations currently what is happening is that those recommendations is what is being implemented”
Meanwhile, the Director of Environment & Sustainable Development at VRA, Mr. Benjamin Arhin Sackey, has disclosed that steps are being taken to enforce the buffer zone policy along the Volta Lake.
Mr. Benjamin Arhin Sackey, Dir. Of Environment and Sustainable Development stated that “We have the high water mark which is the 280Ft contour that is the highest leve the water will rise above the Akosombo dam. So any infrastructure at high water rise will get flooded so it is very important that developments are done outside this area. Like we also indicated we have the buffer zone policy where policy require that you 10 to 60 meters after the high water mark depending on the slope so this is an area that we think should also be protected”.
Demarcation of the 280-foot contour line is currently underway in areas like Abotoase, Batokope, and Dzemeni using permanent pillars to ward off encroachment.
Eastern Regional Minister Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, was impressed with the emergency preparedness of VRA.
She said this will help avert or mitigate the flood disaster that struck the country in 2023.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Kojo Ansah
