The Upper East Regional Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), Jerry Asamani says his outfit will liaise with the Ministries of Agriculture and Health to assess the impact of the recent floods in the Bawku West District.
“Farmlands are being flooded all over but for now, we cannot quantify the farmlands. But as to how much acre has been affected, we cannot determine now, because not until the water recedes, we will not be able to get into the field to be able to access the effect. We also need to collaborate with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Health sector before we can fully make our assessment,” he said.
Torrential rainfall in the region coupled with spillage from the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso left hundreds of passenger vehicles grounded. Six lives were lost in the process.
In the early hours of Monday, September 7, 2020, the water level at the White Volta Bridge at Kobore in the Bawku West District rose over its limit, submerging hundreds of farmlands and washing away livestock.
The bridge was flooded to the waist level covering over 1km stretch of road.
Almost every year, the flood gates of the Bagre dam are opened and this usually affects residents along the White and Black Volta rivers.
Spillage of excess water from the dam is as part of a routine safety measure to ensure that the water is kept below the safe operating level of the dam in order to prevent it from collapsing.
On August 25, 2018, NADMO, said it was going to write to the Ministry of Water Resources, Works, and Housing for the possible creation of a permanent channel through which the water will be directed and collected for irrigation purposes.
Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia also in September 2018 revealed plans to construct the Pwalugu Multipurpose dam in the Talensi District of the region to counter the annual spillage of the dam.
President Nana Akufo-Addo on November 29, 2019, cut the sod for the construction of the Pwalugu Multipurpose project.
The project, which costs US$993 million is expected to be completed within 50 months.