President John Dramani Mahama has issued a stern warning to the leadership of the Volta River Authority (VRA), stating that any repeat of the devastating flooding from the Akosombo Dam, as experienced in 2023, will lead to their resignation or dismissal.
Delivering a national address on Wednesday, May 7, to mark his administration’s first 120 days in office, Mahama highlighted ongoing efforts to prevent a recurrence of the disaster.
He disclosed that a technical committee, chaired by former VRA Chief Executive Ing. Kirk Koffi, had been tasked with investigating the incident and recommending long-term mitigation strategies.
“This administration set up a committee chaired by Ing. Kirk Koffi, a former VRA CEO. The committee has recommended strategies to prevent future occurrences, including establishing what is called a controlled spill flood plan and implementing downstream engineering solutions for flood management,” Mahama said.
The President stressed the urgency of acting on these recommendations without delay.
“I have directed that the recommendations be implemented immediately,” he stated.
Underscoring the gravity of the matter, Mahama made it clear that the VRA leadership would be held accountable for any future lapses.
“I have further indicated that if they are not properly implemented and another destructive VRA flooding occurs like in 2023, the VRA CEO and deputies must resign or be sacked,” he declared.
The 2023 spillage of the Akosombo Dam caused severe destruction in downstream communities, displacing thousands of residents and sparking widespread criticism over inadequate planning and poor emergency preparedness.
With this firm directive, President Mahama signaled his administration’s intent to enforce stricter oversight and adopt proactive measures in managing Ghana’s hydroelectric infrastructure amid increasing climate-related risks.
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