Bui Dam Spillage Displaces 1,500 Buipe Residents

Floods caused by the Bui Dam spillage have displaced about 1,500 residents in Buipe in the Central Gonja District of the Savannah Region.

According to the Central Gonja office of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), the flood affected 500 households, rendering 239 adult males, 230 adult females, 348 boys and 427 girls homeless.

NADMO officials further noted that three public toilets and other private ones for the community members are currently submerged, posing potential hazards to the community members.

The Central Gonja District Director of NADMO, Mohammed Mustapha, accused Bui Dam management of negligence for failing to notify the affected communities, contradicting their earlier promise to educate individuals 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”.

“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 lamented in an interview with Joy News.

NADMO commended the Ghana Red Cross Society for their continued support to the people of the Buipe community and environs since the unfortunate incident occurred.

“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,” he added.

Mohammed Mustapha later appealed for engagement between the government and traditional rulers for the permanent relocation of residents.