The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Weija-Gbawe Municipal Assembly, Patrick Kumor, has warned residents of the area that the worse is yet to come following the spillage of the Weija Dam, which has displaced hundreds.
Speaking to Citi News, he said further correspondence with Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) suggested more volumes are yet to be spilled, but indicated that “If we have three outlets, that should take large volumes of the water out of the community.”
“We are still having some heavy rain upstream, which is in the Eastern Region, so we need to brace ourselves for the worst.
“So far, we have not recorded any casualty or loss of life. We thank God for that, and I believe we will keep on working so hard to save our people in the community,” Mr. Kumor added.
Residents of Weija have been forced out of their homes and shops following the spillage of the Weija Dam, which has flooded homes and streets.
The assembly, in response, has created about three estuaries at Bojo beach to facilitate the movement of the water into the sea.
The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) with support from the Marine Police and the 48th Engineers Regiment has been on the ground and says it has so far rescued in excess of 300 stranded victims, while at the same time working to expand the estuary to facilitate the flow of the water into the sea.
Further Warning
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Water Company Limited, Dr. Clifford Braimah, says the flooding in Weija should serve as a warning to persons encroaching on buffer zones and those building in waterways.
According to him, the devastation being caused was despite the controlled spillage of the Weija Dam, which has five gates that are as high as 21 feet, but four have been opened no more than six feet high.
“I am sure this will be a serious caution to people selling around the place, whoever is selling round the place and whoever is buying around the place and whoever is building there.
“The communities that get flooded should take it more seriously because the water will find itself entering into communities that are not supposed to be affected,” Dr. Braimah added.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak