Akosombo dam spillage: If I were VRA boss, I would have resigned – MP

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Member of Parliament (MP) for Domeabra-Obom, Sophia Ackuaku, has said she would have resigned from post if she were the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Volta River Authority (VRA).

According to her, the resignation would have been because serious operational mistakes were made and have impacted the livelihoods of many.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) legislator made these remarks on Asempa FM Ekosii Sen programme Thursday, while commenting on the havoc wreaked on nine districts over the Akosombo dam spillage.

“I would have resigned by now if I were the VRA CEO because if they are saying there was a sensitisation before the spillage, then how did they do it and how did we get here?” she quizzed.

In the view of Madam Ackuaku, the sensitisation should have been decentralised to ensure a wider reach.

“In villages and smaller towns, there are information centers where announcements are made so why didn’t they use that? They could have moved to churches and engaged the people. We wouldn’t have been here because the people would have moved to safer places and packed their essential belongings which have all been lost now,” she stated.

She commended the MPs in South, North and Central Tongu which have been badly hit by the flooding for the support extended so far.

From October 9, 2023, tracts of land and communities downstream of the Akosombo and Kpong dams have been flooded.

This follows the second-stage spillage of the two dams used to generate about a third of Ghana’s electricity supply.

The spillage has affected almost all the communities along the lower Volta Basin, resulting in widespread power cuts in the affected communities.

Meanwhile, the North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has said if VRA fails to fully compensate affected persons, he would personally lead a class action against them.

Mr Ablakwa noted that the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has already counted about 28,000 displaced people.

He added that, his outfit was also putting together data on the value of property, farms and fish ponds that have been lost in the constituency. 

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