Executive Director for Basic Ideas and Rural Sustainability, Saeed Jakar, has intimated that government has not taken advantage of the annual Bagre Dam spillage.
Speaking on the spillage over the years,;he lamented that instead if the nation using the spillage to our advantage, we rather spend a lot on the disaster it brings.
“Over the years the leakage causes loss of livelihoods but Ghana has however not taken advantage of the situation of the spillage.
“Every year,;the leakage affects over thousands of people and livelihoods leaving people displaced. This has become something that we are even supposed to prepare,;for them to spill their water and we will now be looking for higher grounds to salvage the situation.”
Saeed Jakar
Aftermath of spillage brings expenses
Mr. Jakar further stated that the aftermath of the spillage brings about so much expenses that;the central government could have channeled to economic activities. These expenses, he said, could be used to cushion the lives of Ghanaians.
“Rather, you see us pumping money into disaster management. It’s not too easy for these kinds of disaster to be managed when you don’t actually know where and how it [the funds] is supposed to come from.
“Disaster management is a shared responsibility. What we mean is that it’s supposed to be looked at in a multi sectional approach. In terms of numbers,;we had estimated 36 number of persons losing their lives;with many properties being lost within 2018;when the disaster showed its ugly face in our part of the country. And this just had to do with the spillage”.
Saeed Jakar
However, he lauded the National Disaster Management (NADMO);for its preparation towards the spillage this year. He also indicated that;the residents have also been cautioned to move to higher grounds to prevent any disaster.
Marine Police to assist NADMO
Meanwhile,; the Marine Police Unit of the Ghana Police Service;have arrived in the Upper East region to assist;the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) deal with the effect of flood due to the Bagre and Kompienga dam’s spillage.
The Public Relations Officer of the Upper East Regional Police Command,;ASP Fianko Okyere, said that;the Police Service has taken measures to help in any disaster situation. Also
