The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has served notice that it will demand answers from government and the Volta River Authority (VRA) over what they say is the poor handling of the spillage from the Akosombo Dam and the resultant flooding in parts of the Volta and adjoining regions.
There has been severe devastation in several communities after excess water was spilled from the Akosombo and Kpong dams.
Speaking to victims after donating relief items on behalf of John Mahama, the national chairman of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, argued that once the flood waters recede and the victims have enough help, the party will begin a series of actions to demand answers.
“I am not a scientist, I am not an engineer, but I have very serious questions to ask because the dam was not constructed yesterday and is flooding. When water is flowing into the lake, even if it is from Burkina Faso, it doesn’t flow to the Volta region within 24 hours, and so if we are doing our work well as scientists, we should know that when there is heavy rainfall and water is entering the rivers that feed that dam, we should know that within one or two months the effect could be calculated and preventive action should be taken.
“This is not the first time the dam has been opened for water to spill. We must ask: how come in all the previous years that we have had spills of water, the effects have not been this devastating? There are questions that we should ask. Let us chase away the cat at the appropriate time; we will have to tame the mouse. We will have to find answers to serious questions,” he stressed.
He added that actions ought to be taken to ensure that such happenings do not reoccur in the country.
Also, as the government has been hesitant to declare a state of emergency over the situation after several calls from the public, Mr Nketia says if government does not have enough resources to deal with the situation, it should “swallow its pride and call on the international community for emergency support.”
This, he says, is because “we have, as a nation, found reason to go and donate to other countries that have found themselves in crises like this.”
He said he is happy that the situation has not led to any deaths.
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