The Upper East Regional Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Madam Rebecca Ashamawu Akolgo, has called on residents living along the banks of the Black and White Volta Rivers to move to higher ground immediately as the Bagre and Kupeinga Dams prepare to spill.
Madam Akolgo made the appeal during a visit to the confluence of the two dams at Galaka in the Bawku West District, where she and her officers engaged communities on the dangers of the impending spillage.
She revealed that NADMO has been receiving daily updates from Burkinabe authorities and confirmed that the Bagre Dam was due to spill on Monday, August 25, due to rising water levels.
“The spillover could cover about two miles from the riverbanks, and residents within that zone risk being severely affected,” she warned, urging farmers and households in low-lying areas to vacate immediately.
The spillage has already destroyed large farmlands in Burkina Faso, displacing many, and is expected to affect several communities in Ghana.
Bawku West District Chief Executive, James Ayamwego, cautioned farmers against attempting to salvage crops or property during the spillage. “I understand the huge investments you’ve made in your farms, but your lives are far more important. The government will support you in the aftermath,” he assured.
He also called on stakeholders, including chiefs, elders, and assembly members, to reinforce the relocation advice.
Chiefs from the affected communities pledged to support NADMO’s sensitisation efforts but appealed for fair distribution of relief items. The Chief of Sapeliga, Naba Alasbuudi Emmanuel Abangiba Ayagiba II, expressed frustration over repeated losses without adequate compensation.
Flood-prone areas visited by the team included Sapeliga, Galaka, Guzongo, Salpiga, Kobore, and Timonde, with Bawku West, Binduri, Bawku Municipal, Garu, Nabdam, and Talensi identified as high-risk districts.