Dam spillage: Over 50 years and we still waste water from Akosombo Dam? - Prof. Joseph Osafo fumes

Professor Joseph Osafo has stirred conversations for the spillage of water from the Akosombo Dam to be put to good use.

Government has constituted an inter-ministerial Committee to address recent floods triggered by spillage of the Volta and Kpong Dams by the Volta River Authority (VRA).

The spillage has caused massive flooding in communities close to the river, particularly in Mempe and Aaveyime.

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has reportedly rescued 1800 persons at Mempe and Aaveyime in the Volta Region affected by the floods.

Tackling the subject during Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" show Monday morning, Rev. Professor Joseph Osafo, Director of the Centre for Ageing Studies at the University of Ghana, appealed to the Volta River Authority and government to construct reservoirs to conserve the water spilled from the dam.

He wondered why, over 50 years since the dam was constructed, nothing has been done but to only waste the water that come from the dam when it is filled to the brim.

"When I look at how we can use water to grow crops and this water has gone free and destroyed things free...I mean 50 years and over, No! It's unacceptable; we can't do this to our nation...You can't waste water. With the way the world is going, water, it cannot be wasted that way; not at all," he told host Nana Yaw Kesseh.

He pleaded with the authorities to look at better options to resolve the problem ensuring the spillage benefits Ghanaians emphasizing "we could just harvest this somewhere".

He hoped the authorities will heed his advice, stressing spilling the water without conserving it "is an immoral action to conservation".

"If the soldiers rescued 1800 people, it means that we were close to a major disaster. We were very close. And how can we allow this?", he fumed.