Farmlands along the Kubore River in the Upper East Region have been completely submerged after the spillage of the Bagre Dam, combined with heavy rainfall in the area.
The annual release of water from the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso continues to cause widespread devastation in the northern parts of Ghana, particularly affecting the Upper East and North East regions.
Local farmer Akudoku Jeremiah, speaking to Citi News on Tuesday, expressed his frustration over the disaster, lamenting that months of hard work have been destroyed.
“This Bagre Dam water spillage has come and spoilt all our farms. They don’t inform us early and right now the crops too, it is time for us to harvest them and the water has come and destroyed them,” he said. “They don’t inform us early, and now, just when it’s time to harvest, the water has come and destroyed everything.”
Jeremiah further highlighted the severe impact on local livelihoods. He said the spilling creates significant problems for them, especially with food. He further pleaded with the government to come to their aid.
He said, “we are pleading with the government to come to our aid and help us. If not, we have nowhere to go.” The community is now urgently appealing for government assistance to recover from the devastation caused by the flooding.
Background
A statement from the White Volta Basin Secretariat of the Water Resources Commission, shared with the Ghana News Agency, warned that the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso had continued to rise, with the water level reaching 232.8 meters. The rising water levels were expected to cause the White Volta River in Ghana to overflow and flood its normal plains.
According to the statement, SONABEL, the Power Utility of Burkina Faso, had notified the Water Resources Commission on Friday, August 16th, 2024, that the water level in the Bagre Dam had been increasing since August 2nd, 2024.
The statement urged residents, particularly those living and working along the banks of the White Volta River, to take precautionary measures to minimize the impact of the impending spillage.
