VRA opens 4 spill-gates of dam

THE Volta River Authority (VRA) yesterday opened four of its 12 spill-gates to allow 10,000 cubic feet of water per second to flow out of the Akosombo Dam.
The exercise, which is expected to continue for about eight days, will be constantly monitored against further havoc in areas along the Volta river which are already inundated with floods.
It is to continue till the volume of water in the dam reaches an appreciable level.
The volume of water in the dam at the time of the spill was 277 feet, which was only a feet below the maximum volume of 278 feet.
Present at the site were top officials of the VRA, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the police and military personnel, members of the Eastern Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC), officials of the Asuogyaman District Assembly and other opinion leaders.
Security to the dam site was tight as people from the Akosombo township and surrounding areas who considered the exercise as a lifetime experience thronged to the gate to witness from afar. Among the crowd which were prevented from entering the dam were teachers and students of the Akosombo International School who came in buses and on foot.
Speaking to the media, the Chief Executive of the VRA, Mr Kweku Awortwi said they were not expecting any major incidence of flooding because the flow of water was gradual. However, some NADMO officials who spoke to the Daily Graphic maintained that the actual effect could only be assessed days after the spill when the water had flowed to tributaries of the Volta Lake.
Mr Awortwi said the volume of spill could be increased to 20,000 cubic feet today if more water flowed into the dam from upstream.
Mr Awortwi said the effect of the spill from the Akosombo Dam would be minimised because the Kpong Dam was spilled a day before to reduce pressure from the main dam at Akosombo.
The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, and the Asuogyaman District Chief Executive, Mr Johnson Ehiakpor, said the communities around the lake had been sensitised to prevent any disaster should flooding occur.
The gave an assurance that relief items and safe havens had been made available for any eventuality.