The Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has disclosed that the Volta River Authority (VRA) will face parliamentary scrutiny regarding the recent Akosombo Dam spillage, which has resulted in the displacement of numerous residents. This event has affected over 30,000 individuals living along the Volta River, with property damage amounting to millions of cedis.
During a press briefing held in Parliament on Tuesday, October 31, the Majority Leader stressed the necessity for the VRA to provide a detailed account of the incident and propose measures to prevent similar events in the future.
“I believe we may need to find some answers to some questions, and I guess the speaker is not yet here, but when the Speaker comes, we will have some discussions with him, and I believe it will be important for us to invite VRA to come and fully brief the House about what has happened, the repercussions, and how to avoid any future events,” he said.
He added that the victims’ losses of property have added to the poverty of the people in the South.
As a result, he added “as representatives of the people, we need to show concern. We need to have some dialogue with the Speaker to know what we will be able to do as a House to assist them.”
The Majority Leader also voiced worries that the country’s inflation problems might get worse and that the flooding might have a major effect on food security.
“This year, thanks to the heavy downpour of rains, we were preparing ourselves for a bounteous harvest. Unfortunately, we had this inundation of farmlands and thanks to the massive rainfall and also the spillage of Akosombo Dam, that certainly is going to compound the food situation in the country and the hope is that it would not lead to skyrocketing food prices to add to the already high levels of food inflation in the country.”
In the meantime, a parliamentary investigation into the Akosombo Dam spill has been ordered by the Speaker of Parliament.
He voiced his strong disapproval, emphasizing that it is not permissible for an operation with the potential for such extensive harm, like dam spillage, to occur without a comprehensive security and safety readiness strategy in place.
He went on to stress that addressing this issue is a national imperative, and Parliament must take the lead in devising solutions to this challenge that the nation is currently facing.
In this regard, he noted that “Parliament will take the necessary action to inquire into the matter and make recommendations for the protection of properties and lives living along the Volta Lake and other settlements along riverbeds.”