As authorities of Burkina Faso prepare to open the Bagre dam, the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), has said that it is looking at a long-term solution for persons affected by the annual spillage.
Almost every year, the flood gates of the Bagre dam are opened and this usually affects residents along the White and Black Volta rivers.
But according to NADMO, it will soon write to the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing for a possible creation of a permanent channel through which the water will be directed and collected for irrigation purposes.
In a Citi News interview, the Director of Communications at NADMO, George Ayisi, who cited the London famous river scenario said it was imperative to create permanent channels that will mitigate the effect of the spillage on residents.“In the middle of London, the famous river passes there. Before 1912 almost every year, the people of London experience flood. The Prime Minister came and said, where are our engineers? Rise up and let’s put an end to this. They took up the challenge and by 1912 they had been able to build an encasement that will collect the water and spill out there without affecting the people of London.”
“We can also task our engineers. These are capital intensive projects so we task and we give the resources to do it. NADMO is a disaster management organization. We can see some of these things, make a report and send them to the authorities that are responsible for the critical decisions to be taken…..like Ministry of Water Resources Works and Housing and the government itself, he added.
Mr. Ayisi was optimistic NAMDO’s proposal will sail through for consideration by government.
“Fortunately, the Director General is a member of the advisory board of the ministry of works and housing, so when these things are done then he can put the paper before the minister which can be taken to cabinet”.
NADMO issues flood alert ahead of Bagre dam spillage
NADMO has warned residents living around the Black and White Volta rivers to prepare for the opening of the Bagre dam.
As a result, the organization said it has intensified its awareness creation to avert any unforeseen circumstances likely to be brought on by the spill.
The spillage of the dam is likely to be done between Thursday, August 23, 2018 and Thursday August 30.
It was initially slated for the first week of September 2018, but has been rescheduled to August 2018 due to what authorities of the dam say is the unexpected rise in the volume of water.
“Managers of the Bagre Dam have given notice that the rising trend in the volume of water in the Dam at 80% in the month of August this year as compared to 50% rise in the volume of water same period last year, it has become imperative to spill the dam.”
A similar exercise was undertaken in August 2017 over the same reason.
NADMO further added that, it will hold a press briefing to engage stakeholders on their level of preparedness for preemptive actions to be taken.
–
By: Pearl Akanya Ofori & Nii Larte Lartey/citinewsroom.com/Ghana
The post Bagre Dam spillage: NADMO to find permanent solution appeared first on Citi Newsroom.
Read Full Story
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
Google+
YouTube
LinkedIn
RSS