Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has emphasized the imperative need for the country to devise lasting solutions to address the aftermath of the Akosombo dam spillage.

The Volta River Authority (VRA) initiated the controlled release of water from the Akosombo and Kpong Dams on September 15, 2023, in response to a consistent increase in the inflow pattern and water levels of the Akosombo reservoir.

As a result of the spillage, numerous residents in areas such as South Tongu, North Tongu, Central Tongu, Asuogyaman, and various other regions have seen their homes submerged.

Dr. Bawumia, who conducted a visit to the affected communities in the North, Central, and South Tongu districts on Wednesday, emphasized that a permanent solution is imperative to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.

“But we need to look for long-term solutions to this flooding,” he said. “Because it will happen this year, we can deal with it now. But what of next year? Because climate change appears to be taking hold.

“A few years ago, we were all worried about the water levels of the Volta Dam because it was too low. Now, we are all worried that it is too high. We need to look for engineering solutions to the spillage of water out of the Volta dam.”

Following his tour of the flood-affected regions, Dr. Bawumia reassured the public that the government is fully committed to taking all necessary measures to support the affected areas and individuals.

He affirmed that the government would persist in delivering relief aid and working towards the restoration of the livelihoods of those impacted by the disaster.