The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has cautioned residents living around the Weija Dam in Ga South Municipality of the Greater Accra Region to evacuate following the on-going opening of the dam floodgates.
Speaking in an interview with Today in Accra yesterday, Communications Manager of GWCL, Mr. Stanley Martey, noted that the spillage of the dam was as a result of the onset of the rains which have kept the level of the dam rising.
He, however, dispelled claims that his outfit did not give prior notice to the residents of the area before it started spilling excess water from the dam.
Mr. Martey described the allegation as “baseless and unfounded,” stating that his outfit started spilling water from the dam since April 2017.
He pointed out that “since that time Ghana Water Company Limited in collaboration with the various Municipal and District Assemblies, National Disaster and Management Organisation (NADMO) and National Security, has been educating residents of the communities located downstream of the Waija dam, on the need for them to move from the areas.”
According to Mr. Martey, the only way to safeguard the dam from possible collapse was for it to be drained of excess water.
He explained that “the spilling exercise will safeguard the dam from possible damage or collapse.”
He indicated that property owners and residents in the area must take immediate precautionary measures to protect their properties.
Mr. Martey mentioned that the communities likely to be affected include Tetegu, Mandela, Tettegu, Oblogo, Pambros Salt, Lower McCarthy Hill, Weija, Bojo Beach, Ada Kopey and other surrounding communities.
“Every dam has a maximum operating level beyond which the safety of the dam is compromised. As a result, spill gates are opened to enable the excess water flow downstream. The excess water in most area, especially Weija, poses a lot of danger to communities located downstream,” he explained.
According to him, precautionary measures such as “dredging some of the estuaries and tributaries to enable good flow of the excess water has been put in place,” but could not guarantee the safety of people living in such areas.
He, therefore, stressed that “it is better and safer for the people living in those areas to take the precautions seriously to safeguard lives and property.”
Meanwhile, residents of New Waija, Oblogo and Tettegu communities in Ga South Municipality in Accra have called for the drainage of the River Densu before water should be spilled from the dam.
This, according to spokesperson for the residents, Mr. Opambour Martin Agyemang would go a long to protect property owners and residents in the downstream communities in the Ga South Municipality.
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