The Conventions People’s Party (CPP) has asserted that the repercussions of the Akosombo Dam spillage were worsened by the negligence of state institutions. The party pointed out that the Volta River Authority (VRA), the Ghana Meteorological Service, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had been derelict in their duties while still benefiting from taxpayers’ money.
This statement was released by the CPP and signed by its Chairperson, Nana Frimpomaa, on Tuesday.
The VRA initiated the controlled release of water from the Akosombo and Kpong Dams on September 15, 2023, in response to a consistent increase in the inflow pattern and water levels of the Akosombo reservoir. The spillage resulted in thousands of residents in areas such as South Tongu, North Tongu, Central Tongu, Asuogyaman, and several others having their homes submerged.
The VRA announced the conclusion of the controlled spillage of the Akosombo Dam on Tuesday.
The CPP, in its statement, expressed, “Unfortunately, it is clear that the disaster was aggravated by a series of negligent actions and oversights within the responsible state institutions.”
The party cited negligence as including the failure to adequately monitor the situation, failure to assess the dam’s capacity, inadequate communication of potential risks to the affected communities, and insufficient emergency preparedness measures.
The CPP has, therefore, called upon the government to implement measures to prevent such a situation from recurring in the future.