Ablakwa urges Parliament to hasten probe into Akosombo Dam spillage

Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has called on Parliament to expedite its probe into the spillage of the Akosombo and Kpong dams, which resulted in an estimated 30,000 people being displaced last year.

Despite the urgency of the matter, Parliament has yet to establish the committee tasked with addressing this issue.

With concerns mounting over the possibility of another spillage amid the intensifying rains, Mr Ablakwa emphasised the critical need for Parliament to prioritise and swiftly address the situation.

Highlighting the national significance of the issue and its direct impact on lives, the North Tongu MP underscored the urgency for parliamentary action.

He stressed that delays in investigating such critical matters not only hinder timely resolution, but also potentially exacerbate the risks faced by affected communities.

“The motion admitted by the Speaker, we have debated, all that is left is for the committees to be set up. And every week, I will remind leadership, because leadership keeps telling us that they will meet with the Speaker and put the committees together.”

“I’m referring to the VRA spillage from the Akosombo dam, that committee. Intelligence is that they are likely to start spilling again very soon, we haven’t learnt lessons, and we haven’t come up with any recommendations. Mr Speaker, we need to have that committee work,” he said.

In October 2023, a controlled spillage of the Akosombo Dam was conducted to prevent overflow, leading to the displacement of residents in low-lying areas.

The most affected communities were in the North and Central Tongu districts, with estimates indicating that over 35,857 people were displaced, and numerous homes and farmlands were destroyed as a result.

The floods had a significant impact on more than 30,000 individuals in the North Tongu district, leaving them in desperate need of assistance from both government agencies and charitable organisations.