The Volta River Authority (VRA) has raised concerns over rising unregulated developments along the Volta River, warning that such activities are increasing flood risks and undermining national emergency preparedness for the Akosombo and Kpong Dams.
The Authority cautioned that the growing construction of homes, resorts, and commercial facilities along the river corridor is putting lives, investments, and critical national infrastructure at serious risk.
The warning was issued at a workshop on this year’s Emergency Preparedness Plan (EPP) and Environmental Management Plan (EMP) held in Koforidua.
Delivering a welcome address, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mrs Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, stressed that emergency preparedness is crucial for a region hosting key national assets.
“The safety of our people and the protection of our environment must remain paramount,” she said, warning that disasters have serious negative effects on the economy.
Providing technical insight, Mr Abdul Noor Wahab, Director of Water Resources and Renewable Energy at the VRA, explained that international best practice requires strong emergency planning for large dams such as Akosombo.
“There are two main emergency situations: when we have to spill due to excess inflows, and the unlikely but high-impact event of a dam break,” he said.
Mr Wahab noted that settlements upstream and downstream are increasingly vulnerable due to encroachment into high-risk zones.
“People are even developing within water bodies, and this poses risks to themselves and their investments,” he said, adding that the VRA’s goal is to ensure stakeholders understand the risks involved.
