President John Dramani Mahama has issued a stern warning to the leadership of the Volta River Authority (VRA), stating that any repeat of the catastrophic 2023 flooding from the Akosombo Dam 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, President Mahama highlighted the government’s ongoing efforts to prevent a recurrence of the disaster, which displaced thousands and caused widespread destruction.
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 a controlled spill flood plan and implementing downstream engineering solutions for flood management,” Mahama stated.
The President stressed the urgency of acting on the recommendations, noting that the government will not tolerate delays.
“I have directed that the recommendations be implemented immediately,” he said.
Underscoring the seriousness of the matter, Mahama made it clear that 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 triggered severe flooding in communities downstream, displacing thousands and drawing intense criticism over poor planning and inadequate emergency response mechanisms.
Mahama’s directive signals a strong stance on accountability and reflects his administration’s intent to adopt proactive, climate-resilient measures in managing Ghana’s critical hydroelectric infrastructure.
, stating that any repeat of the catastrophic 2023 flooding from the Akosombo Dam will lead to their resignation or dismissal.){kind=link}