At the “Accounting to Our Customers (ATC)” session organised by Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) on Monday, Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Freda Prempeh, attributed the devastation caused by the Akosombo dam spillage to the refusal of locals to evacuate their communities.
This has drawn heated discussions in the media, with a large number of people widely condemning the minister’s comments and others seeking to justify them.
Comparing the Weija dam spillage to the recent spillage of the Akosombo and Kpong dams, Hon. Freda stated as follows:
““The Akosombo dam spillage, even though the Volta River Authority, the National Disaster Management Organisation, and the Water Resources Commission came together to educate the people in the community and did simulation exercises with them even at Mepe, yet they refused to leave. They did not want to be evacuated, and they stayed there till the end when we started spilling.”
“Unfortunately, look at what is happening, and the government has to spend millions of dollars on relief items and education. The water in the whole area is contaminated, and the Ghana Water Company and Water Resources Commission will have to spend millions of dollars to treat the water before we can pass it through our pipes.”
But a section of the citizenry has criticised the minister for her “inhumane” comments, questioning the alternative government provided to the affected communities to warrant the evacuation.
The dam spillage has displaced nearly 30,000 people, with no lives lost.
The affected communities are presently receiving relief assistance from corporate bodies, individuals, the Volta River Authority (VRA), and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO).
On his visit last week, President Akufo-Addo assured the affected communities of immediate and long-term support aimed at restoring their livelihoods.
The level of nonsense we Ghanaians have to endure from the people we pay to make our lives easier is beyond belief. https://t.co/vs8w3JF8a6
— Nana Ama Agyemang Asante (@JustNanaAma) October 23, 2023
Worst sanitation ministers ever.
— Nancy Brew (@nancybrewgh) October 24, 2023
Cecilia Dapaah n Freda Prempeh
As usual When it comes to Volta region “We don’t matter” “You don’t vote for my party”
Evil NPP party.
Thomas Partey | Akosombo dam | Mahama Bawumia | Shatta | Alphahour | Evacuate okyeame Kwame | rap doctor pic.twitter.com/wMUPrxmcPE
Freda Prempeh is out of touch. She alone has stolen more than what government has spent on the flooding caused by the spillage in Volta https://t.co/Vsn1EjN2FK
— Quasi K Afrane (@afrane_q) October 24, 2023
There's absolutely nothing wrong with Hon. Freda Prempeh's statement. Why do we make it seem that public officials have no right to rebuke or condemn?...because we vote them into power?
— SWANZY-BAFFOE EMMANUEL (@swanzybaffoemml) October 24, 2023
To be honest, they can't fix Ghana alone. We need attitudinal change as a people. https://t.co/Gkd3Eh624Y
The dam spillage has displaced nearly 30,000 people, with no lives lost.
The affected communities are presently receiving relief assistance from corporate bodies, individuals, the Volta River Authority (VRA), and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO).
On his visit last week, President Akufo-Addo assured the affected communities of immediate and long-term support aimed at restoring their livelihoods.
