The Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Freda Prempeh, has blamed the extent of damage caused by the Akosombo Dam spillage on the refusal of residents living along the dam to evacuate prior to the spillage.
The devastating impact of the dam spillage has displaced over 20,000 people in the Volta and Greater Accra regions.
The minister, while sympathizing with the affected persons, emphasized the cost the government must incur to provide relief to the victims.
Speaking during a forum organised by Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) and its customers in Accra, Freda Prempeh said, “The Akosombo dam spillage, even though Volta River Authority, National Disaster Management Organisation, the Water Resources Commission, came together to educate the people in the community and did simulation exercises with them even at Mepe, yet, they refused to leave. They did not want to be evacuated, and they stayed there till the end when we started spilling.”
“Unfortunately, look at what is happening, and the government has to spend millions of money on relief items, and education. The water in the whole area is contaminated and the Ghana Water Company and Water Resources Commission will have to spend millions of money to treat the water before we can pass it through our pipes.
“So a stitch in time saves nine. Sometimes it’s difficult to accept the situation, but we will plead with all of you to accept it as it is. Water is life and is essential to everything”.
