Akosombo Dam Spillage: Victims deserve justice and respect — Oliver Barker

Lead convener of the #FixTheCountry Movement, Oliver Barker Vormawor has expressed outrage at the severe flooding in the Volta region caused by the spillage from the Akosombo and Kpone Dams.

In a tweet on Friday, October 13, Mr. Barker Vormawor stated that the yearly release of the water by the Volta River Authority (VRA) has continued to cause pain and loss to riverside communities.

“I am particularly appalled that these water spillages by VRA are being treated as some natural disaster rather than intentional manmade actions,” he wrote.

He added that thousands have lost homes, businesses and livelihoods due to the floods.

Mr. Barker Vormawor, whose own grandparents lost property when the Kpong Dam was built decades ago, said the disregard for residents’ lives is unacceptable.

“VRA cannot continue to disrespect and disregard the lives of our people and take it as business as usual,” he stated.

The activist accused media and politicians of ignoring the culpability of VRA in the “completely avoidable tragedy”.

He reiterated that the affected communities deserve justice for the losses caused by giving up their lands for the dams.

"Our people deserve justice. From Akwamufie to Mepe and Gbenorkofe, through Amedeka and Asutsuare. We deserve justice," he wrote.

Currently, over 500 households remain flooded in the Volta region with properties worth thousands of Ghana cedis destroyed.

Meanwhile, VRA claims it is providing relief items to victims in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Organization to victims.