Flood from Bui dam spillage leaves 1,500 residents displaced in Buipe
Floodwaters have forced 1,500 people from 500 homes, including women and children, out of Buipe, which is located in the Central Gonja District of the Savannah Region. In addition to 348 boys and 427 girls, 230 adult males and females, 239 adult males, and 230 adult females have all been forced to leave their houses,…
Floodwaters have forced 1,500 people from 500 homes, including women and children, out of Buipe, which is located in the Central Gonja District of the Savannah Region.
In addition to 348 boys and 427 girls, 230 adult males and females, 239 adult males, and 230 adult females have all been forced to leave their houses, according to the Central Gonja office of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO).
Three public restrooms and an untold number of private restrooms are now underwater, according to NADMO, creating serious health risks.
The flood has destroyed food storage facilities, submerged fifty acres of farmland, and swamped three private schools.
In an interview with MyJoyOnline, Mohammed Mustapha, the Central Gonja District Director of NADMO, expressed his displeasure and accused the management of the Bui Dam of negligence for failing to inform the affected communities, breaking a previous agreement to inform people living along the banks of the Black Volta River before any spillage.
“Prior to this water spillage this season, they [management of Bui dam] told us that they would come because their water level was still high and so, we should prepare a budget for us to use seven days to sensitize the people around the river banks.”
“Yes, so, Buipe, Banda, Bole, and Kintampo North NADMO Directors, did collaborate and submit the budget to Bui Dam as requested.”
“But after submission, they failed to turn up or communicate to us again until we began seeing the water coming into people’s houses and farmlands. So, it’s a failure on Bui Dam for not living by their words”, he bemoaned.
The Director described how Bui Dam behaved similarly last year, initially denying the spilling then going to Buipewura Abdulai Jinapor I to take responsibility for it.
He did, however, applaud the Ghana Red Cross Society for their ongoing assistance, saying that “because apart from the 14 home kits they gave us, they also sent volunteers to help evacuate the victims. GES also handed over the 6-unit R/C primary school block to us to accommodate the displaced”.
Later, Mohammed Mustapha urged the government and traditional leaders to cooperate so that people might be relocated permanently.
