NADMO urges residents near Black and White Volta Rivers to relocate ahead of Bagre Dam spillage

The Upper East Regional Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Madam Rebecca Ashamawu Akolgo, has urged residents living along the banks of the Black and White Volta Rivers to move to higher grounds as spillage from the Bagre and Kupeinga dams is expected.

Madam Akolgo made the appeal during a visit with her officers to the confluence of the two rivers at Galaka in the Sapeliga area of the Bawku West District. The visit formed part of efforts to sensitise communities on the imminent spillage and to discourage people from moving close to the buffer zones.

She explained that NADMO has been receiving daily updates from Burkinabè authorities, who confirmed that the Bagre Dam was scheduled to spill on Monday, August 25, due to rising water levels. The Kupeinga Dam in Togo has also reached critical levels, intensifying the risk of flooding in downstream communities in Ghana.

Madam Akolgo cautioned that floodwaters could cover up to two miles from the riverbanks, putting residents and their properties at risk. She revealed that large farmlands in Burkina Faso had already been destroyed by the overflow, displacing many residents there.

The District Chief Executive of Bawku West, Hon. James Ayamwego, also appealed to farmers not to endanger their lives by attempting to salvage crops or belongings during the spillage. “I know much investment has been made into your farms, but it is better to protect your lives. The government will take care of the losses,” he assured.

He further called on chiefs, elders, assembly members, and other stakeholders within the catchment areas to support sensitisation efforts and ensure residents heed safety advice.

The NADMO team, together with local authorities, visited flood-prone communities including Sapeliga, Galaka, Guzongo, Salpiga, Kobore, and Timonde, all in the Bawku West District. Other districts expected to be affected include Bawku West, Binduri, Bawku Municipal, Garu, Nabdam, and Talensi.

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