The recent spillage of the Akosombo Dam has had a notable impact on the cost of tomatoes, leaving tomato vendors grappling with increased expenses, as disclosed by a vendor.
Speaking to The Independent Ghana, the tomato vendor at Agbogbloshie market, Doris Baah stated that the sudden and unforeseen increase in tomato prices has compelled tomato vendors to grapple with the difficulty of elevated expenses and diminished profit margins.
The cost of tomatoes has surged due to the Akosombo Dam spillage, causing local farmers in the region to raise tomato prices. Consequently, customers are reluctant to make purchases, resulting in a notably sluggish market.
As per her account, she returns home empty-handed after numerous unsuccessful efforts to persuade customers to accommodate the prevailing circumstances.
“Tomato cost has become high due to the spillage at the Akosombo Dam, as a result farmers in that area have increased the price of tomatoes. So when customers come they don’t want to buy. Market has become very slow,” she added.
The Volta River Authority’s (VRA) decision to discharge excess water from the Akosombo and Kpong hydroelectric dams, while crucial for dam safety, has posed a multitude of challenges for the affected communities.
Dwellings, farmlands, and even burial grounds have been submerged in floodwaters, disrupting vital services like water and electricity supply and compelling the relocation of residents to higher ground for their safety.
The VRA has defended the controlled spillage due to the rapid filling of both dams to full capacity, primarily due to upstream precipitation.
In the same vein Vegetable farmers in Keta and the neighboring communities along the coastal belt of the Volta Region are grappling with substantial losses resulting from the recent flooding triggered by the Akosombo Dam spillage.
The inundation has had a detrimental impact on various crops, including tomatoes, peppers, onions, and garden eggs.
Speaking to the media, a tomato farmer from Tetekope, Mr. Sadiq Abdulai, revealed that the floodwaters had swept away all his crops, plunging him into significant debt and financial hardships.
“My entire tomato farm of about half an acre had been washed away by the flood and l lost everything.”
He reported investing more than Gh₵9,000 in the farm but yielded no harvest due to the damages.
“Most of us took huge sums of loan from financial institutions and how to pay back would be very difficult, we need help,” he added.