Danger Looms in U/E Region ... As Bagre Dam Nears Spillage Level

By Samuel Akapule, Bolgatanga

/

Bagre dam spillage

The water level in the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso is fast reaching the spillage mark, the Ghanaian Times has gathered.

Whenever the water level of the dam is filled to the maximum capacity of 235 metres, the power utility authority of Burkina Faso, SONABEL, spill the excess water from the dam, which often finds its ways into the White Volta River linking to the Upper East Region, causing havoc to lives and properties.

Following recent heavy rains in neighbouring Burkina Faso, the water level on Monday was more than 233.50 metres, representing about 80 per cent of the capacity, and meaning a little increase in water level could compel SONABEL to spill the dam.

The Deputy Director of National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) in charge of operations in the Upper East Region, Paul Wooma, confirmed the situation to the Ghanaian Times here on Monday,

He said NADMO had embarked on an awareness drive, in partnership with the Ghana Red Cross Society, to sensitise communities along the White Volta in the region on the looming danger, and warned dwellers and farmers along the areas likely to be affected by the spillage to stay away.

As part of proactive measures taken to deal with the situation, Mr Wooma said the National Directorate of NADMO would be dispatching a team today to be stationed at Zebilla and Walewale to monitor the situation, and rescue victims of the spillage, if it occurrred.

Meanwhile, reports from four districts in the region said they have been affected by flooding, whilst in the Bawku Municipality, five communities with a total number of 250 farmers and 200 acres had been affected.

Mr Wooma corroborated this, and added that in the Bawku West District, 598 farmers with 796 acres of farmlands in 13 communities had been affected whilst 219 farmers with 44 acres of farmlands in seven communities in the Pusiga District suffer similar disaster.

"In Talensi District, 11 communities, 717 farmers 2,482 acres have been affected. Major crops affected in all these communities included maize, millet, groundnuts, yellow melon, sorghum, rice and vegetables," he said.

Mr Wooma stated his outfit had conducted assessment on the situation and had submitted reports to the National Directorate of NADMO and was also in discussions with its stakeholders to see how they could solicit for relief items for the victims.

The Bagre Dam was constructed in 1992 over the White Volta River in the village of Bagre in Burkina Faso. The spillage of the Bagre dam has since become a perennial problem leaving many communities along the White Volta River, especially in Northern and Upper East regions of Ghana often flooded for weeks. This often occurs between August and September which leads to loss of human lives, livestock and crops.

Read Full Story