Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Hon. Ken Ofori Atta has disclosed that the government has budgeted 220million to support the relief face of the Akosombo Dam Spillage.
This was divulged in the reading of the 2024 Budget Statement and Economic Policy in parliament on 15th November, 2023. The finance minister stated some of the initiatives the government had taken to support the communities affected by the spillage.
He added that the funds would also serve as relief for victims of other flood incidents in the country.
“Government through VRA, NADMO, and various agencies under the 13-member high level inter-ministerial committee, (comprising of the Ministries of Energy, Finance, Local Government, Environment, Interior, Health, Sanitation & Water Resources, Defense, Roads & Highways, Education, Information, Health, and Gender) have subsequently provided various forms of support to the impacted communities. This support included food and related items, drinks, mattresses, mosquito nets and coils, clothes, baby food and diapers, sanitary pads, treated water services and storage tanks, solar lamps, sanitation services, restoration of utility services, and some social infrastructure.”
“Government has budgeted an amount of GH¢220 million to support the relief phase for the communities affected by the Akosombo Spillage as well as floods upstream in the Oti, Savannah, and Bono-East Regions.”
He continued by adding that among other initiatives to restore the livelihoods of affected persons, the government has requested funding from the World Bank under the IDA crisis response window to support the resettlement of victims.
“For the restoration phase, Government through the Ministry of Agriculture will allocate additional resources to support the restoration of livelihoods. In addition, the Ministry of Finance, after the visit was quickened to respond. We have requested funding from the World Bank under the IDA Crisis Response Window (CRW) to support the resettlement of the victims, restoration of livelihoods, compensation and reconstruction of infrastructure in the affected communities.”
The dam spillage, in question, was a controlled measure by the Volta River Authority (VRA) which commenced on September 15, 2023 to reduce the high water level of the dam. The measure, in turn, led to the displacement of some communities upstream and within the Volta Region. Meanwhile, various stakeholders and organizations have taken to supporting the affected victims in various forms to help them alleviate their conditions.
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Story by: Vannessa Nyasi Mensah | univers.ug.edu.gh
