Akosombo, Kpong dams spillage: 2,000 People displaced in Pru East

More than 2,000 people have been rendered homeless in 15 communities along the Lower Volta Lake Basin in the Pru East District in the Bono East Region.

This follows the spillage of the Akosombo and Kpong dams, which wreaked havoc, as houses and sanitation facilities such as toilets, refuse dumpsites and cemeteries were submerged, threatening the health of the victims.

Additionally, state institutions, particularly schools, have also been submerged, compelling authorities in the area to close down the affected schools.

All commercial activities, mainly fishing and farming, which are the main livelihoods of the people in the area, have also been curtailed.

Large tracts of land, including farms and other livelihoods, have also been flooded.

In a radio interview on Sunyani-based Ark FM’s morning show, monitored by the Daily Graphic last Thursday, the Assembly member for the area, Godwin Awudu, said though the area continued to witness flooding each year, the spillage of the Akosombo and Kpong dams had worsened the situation.

No casualty

However, he said despite the havoc which threatened lives and property, no casualty had been recorded at the time of filing this report.  

Mr Awudu explained that although the affected communities got submerged more than two months before the spillage of the Akosombo and Kpong dams, the spillage of the dams had worsened the situation, as large tracts of farmlands have been flooded and their livelihoods taken away from them.

Mr Awudu said he had made several complaints for more than two months about the situation to the district office of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) for support but he was yet to get a response from them.

He said that since the incident no government officials, including the Bono East Regional Minister, Kwasi Adu-Gyan, and Regional Director of NADMO had visited the area to sympathise with the victims as being done elsewhere.

Mr Awudu said the victims were currently staying with their relatives, while those without relatives were sleeping in open spaces, churches and schools.

Relocation

He said the Pru East District Assembly and the chiefs in the area had released land for the resettlement of some of the communities such as Fantekrom, Vutideke and Pentecost Nsuoano, because their situation was critical.

However, Mr Awudu said there were no resources for the victims to put up new homes because they had lost all their resources and investments.

He, therefore, appealed to the government and other stakeholders to support the victims with some relief items.

Mr Awudu said the victims were still drinking and using water polluted via toilet facilities, refuse dumpsites and cemeteries.

He expressed concern about possible outbreak of waterborne diseases and appealed to the Ministry of Health to consider their plight to support in the area of health.  

However, efforts to speak to both the regional and district directors of NADMO were unsuccessful.