...first time in 20 years, the dam has exceeded its maximum capacity

The Volta River Authority has warned residents along the banks of the Volta Lake to start moving further upstream and away from the lake as the Akosombo Dam has almost reached its maximum capacity and the excess water needs to spilled.

The VRA says all the flow-in points into the Akosombo Dam will be closed down today, Wednesday, October 20.

For the first time in 20 years, the dam has exceeded its maximum capacity; hence the need for communities to move to higher ground to allow the opening which will save the dam from collapse. Currently, the level of the dam is at 274.80 feet, close to the maximum level of 278 feet. The dam provides electricity to Ghana and its neighboring West African countries, including Togo and Benin. The dam is 660 Metres wide and 114 Metres high. It cost £130 million to build.

CEO of the VRA, Kweku Awotwi Andoh, speaking in an interview on PeaceFM, said checks by his outfit for the past week indicates that the water is not reducing but rather keeps rising up hence the need to open up the spillage points tomorrow so that some of the water can flow out.

According to Mr. Awotwi, notification letters have been sent out and meetings held with NADMO and District Assemblies officials for the past two weeks in relation to the possible spillage, adding that the Environmental, Engineering and other departments of the VRA have prepared adequately and are ready for the exercise.

The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) estimates that the spillage is likely to affect more than 150, 000 people nationwide. Regions which have communities either close to the Volta River or lying along the path of the river towards the South of Hydroelectric power generation in the country are the Northern, Greater Accra, Brong Ahafo, Ashanti, Eastern and Volta.

The following towns are in danger of being flooded or most likely to be affected: Damongo, Kwame Danso, Salaga, Bimbilla, Kpando, Jasikan, Keta Krachi, Dodowa, Effiduase, Konongo Odumase, Atimpoku, Adidome, Atebubu, Nkwanta, Hohoe, Donkorkrom, Mpraeso, Begoro, Odumase-Krobo, Kintampo, etc