Govt to spend C30bn to save Weija Dam

Accra, Nov. 14, GNA - Government is to spend 30 billion cedis to remove encroachers on the Weija Dam site before the end of November and save it from possible collapse. Alhaji Abubakar Saddique Boniface, Minister of Water Resouces, Works and Housing, who announced this on Wednesday after touring the dam site declared: "This is a national emergency that requires immediate action.

"We don't need to waste time on this matter because the

rate of destruction is serious. Just this morning, we have had to

drive away some developers with graders working close to the

dam." The dam, which supplies potable water to about 2.8 million

people in western Accra, is feared to be under serious threat of

run-over that could cause destruction of life and property due to

activities of developers and stone winners who had resorted to

the use of explosives to detonate the rocks that serve as

protection for the dam. Water experts have warned of possible danger and predicted

that the extent of destruction could spread and submerge areas

as far away as Odorkor and Dansoman. Mr Boniface said the action to drive away encroaches would

involve the demolition of buildings and fencing of Ghana Water

Company's land. "This calls for a joint action of the national security, the

traditional authorities, the district assembly and all other

interested parties. "I'm calling for an emergency meeting this week to look at

the possible ways to tackle the issue. We have to do this before

the end of this month." The Minister said the Weija Water Treatment Plant was now

subjected to all kinds of contamination from sewerage to sand

and rock erosion, which were increasing the cost of treatment

because more chemicals had to be used. Mr Boniface said the problem could not be attributed to

negligence of the Ghana Water Company because it had taken a

lot of steps in the past to drive the encroachers away from the

land. Briefing the press on Monday, Mr Michael Amuakwa, Plant

Manager at the Weija Water Treatment Plant, explained that the

explosives, besides breaking the mountains, also weakened the

foundation structure of the dam. He said people had defied several warnings not to build or

carry out any form of human activity within the catchment zone

although they were aware that the land was the property of the

Ghana Water Company. Mr Amuakwa said because the stone quarrying was now

close to the banks of the dam, a lot of foreign materials had

entered it, making it difficult to determine the level and volume

of water. "It is not just an eyesore, but a catastrophe. The unfortunate

thing is that the people living here do not even know the serious

health threat they face in case of a chlorine gas leakage," Mr

Amuakwa said.