Akosombo Dam Spillage: Prof. Opoku-Agyemang calls for empathy towards victims

The 2020 running mate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has mentioned that the recent Akosombo Dam spillage that affected lots of properties and buildings could happen to anyone and as a result, people must be empathetic to the affected.

“Sometimes when you don’t break the issues down to the human level, then we all just feel it’s something happening somewhere to some people. It can happen to anybody and we all need to learn to be empathetic. We all need to learn to care.”

According to her, she travelled to get first-hand experience and sympathise with the people affected after seeing pictures and videos on TV and social media.

“I saw images of it on TV and social media but I think that experience is also important. When you see it, you go past buildings that have submerged and you see where ordinary things are,” she said.

Prof Opoku-Agyeman in an exclusive interview with GhanaWeb’s Mawuli Ahorlumegah, said after analysing how the spillage caused the damage, she wondered how the people involved survived it whiles asking: “I asked myself that; I mean so at the moment when they had to flee; if for example you are a mother with young children, what will you do?

"If there’s one breastfeeding and the other toddler, what do you do? Do you put one on your back; do you carry the other one on your shoulder; do you remember to take their medicine or their food; do you yourself remember what you need to take at the time when you were so confused?”

Currently, nine districts in the Volta Region face the consequences of this flooding, and residents are grappling with a humanitarian crisis.

Communities like Battor, Tefle, Mepe, Sogakope, Adidome, and Anlo have seen their lives and properties submerged by the rising waters.

Many residents have had to self-evacuate, while the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) and other agencies are actively participating in rescue operations. Various institutions and individuals have been contributing relief items to help the affected residents.

In response to the crisis, Vice President Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia has emphasized the need to rethink and possibly re-engineer the Akosombo Dam to better manage spillage and mitigate its adverse effects on communities and livelihoods.

This measure is considered crucial given the challenges posed by climate change.

Watch her comments below: