Editorial
Find Lasting Solution to Problems Associated with Bagre Dam Spillage
In last week’s issue of The Spectator, we carried a story headlined, “Annual Bagre Dam Spillage, a Blessing or a Curse?”
The story revealed that the spillage of the dam by the management of Burkina Faso has become a perennial challenge for many farming communities along the White and Black Volta basins in the northern part of Ghana.
While thousands of people are displaced, farmers count their losses yearly as entire fields of maize, groundnuts, and rice vanish beneath raging waters. We are also told that mud-walled houses crumble under the force of the floods, roads connecting villages disappear, schools close, and classrooms are turned into makeshift shelters for displaced families.
Although the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) rushes in with relief items such as mattresses, blankets, and bags of rice to mitigate the impact of the flooding, these items — though vital — are often insufficient compared to the magnitude of devastation.
The situation is worrying, but the problem has not been fully addressed, as it has for years caused destruction downstream in many communities, especially among farmers.
It is a pity that, though NADMO continues to urge residents in flood-prone areas across the Upper East, North East, Savannah, and Northern Regions to relocate to safer grounds, for many, relocation is not an option. Their livelihoods are tied to fertile riverbanks, and abandoning their farms would mean giving up the only source of income they know.
Ironically, amidst the destruction, the same flood that wreaks havoc also deposits nutrient-rich silt on farmlands, making them more fertile for dry-season farming.
It is therefore time for the government to construct proper irrigation systems so that these communities can turn disaster into opportunity — using the water to grow crops in the dry season to sustain themselves.
It is also time for the long-promised construction of the Pwalugu Multi-Purpose Dam in the Upper East Region to come to fruition. This project would serve as a buffer for excess water from the Bagre Dam and generate electricity.
There is also the need to control the spillage by starting it gradually each month instead of waiting until the dam is full before releasing the water at once.
The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) should enforce strict measures to prevent construction in flood-prone areas.
Before each spillage begins, ample time should be given to residents through public announcements to enable them to move to safer places ahead of time. Besides traditional media such as radio and television, The Spectator urges authorities to also engage traditional and religious leaders in spreading such messages to ensure residents receive the information early.
We are told the spillage of the dam is necessary to prevent it from collapsing when water levels exceed safe limits. However, it continues to create havoc and has become a yearly cycle of loss and recovery.
The spillage of the Bagre Dam is a recurring disaster that demands an urgent and lasting solution to make life better for residents and farmers.
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Dear Editor,
I write to express concern about the increasing rate of road accidents on the Kumasi–Accra highway, which has become a source of fear for many commuters.
It is one of the busiest roads in Ghana, connecting two major cities and serving thousands of passengers daily. Sadly, almost every week, we hear reports of fatal crashes, injuries, and loss of property along the stretch. Many families have lost loved ones, and several survivors are left with lifelong injuries.
The causes of these accidents are not far-fetched. Over-speeding, reckless overtaking, driver fatigue, poor vehicle maintenance, and disregard for road traffic regulations are major contributors.
In some sections, bad road conditions, faded road markings, and inadequate street lighting also increase the risk, especially at night and during rainy weather.
It is worrying that despite repeated accidents, little seems to change. Drivers continue to overspeed, some commercial drivers drive under pressure to meet unrealistic travel times, and enforcement of traffic laws appears weak in certain areas.
I, therefore appeal to the relevant authorities, including the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) and the Ministry of Roads and Highways, to intensify road safety education, enforce traffic laws strictly, and ensure regular patrols on this highway.
Road signs should be improved, damaged portions of the road fixed promptly, and speed limits clearly enforced.
Drivers must also take personal responsibility by obeying traffic rules, avoiding unnecessary overtaking, and ensuring their vehicles are roadworthy. Passengers should speak up when drivers drive recklessly, because silence can cost lives.
Road accidents are preventable. Let us act now to make the Kumasi–Accra Highway safer for all users before more innocent lives are lost.
By Eugene Ampiaw, Takoradi
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Dear Editor,
THE incident of baby theft at the Mamprobi Polyclinic on Tuesday was quite unfortunate.
It is very sad that a woman that has endured nine challenging months of pregnancy and gone through a Caesarian Section to deliver would go through such an unfortunate situation.
We should be grateful to God that the baby was found and reunited with mother a day after the disappearance.
This is not the first occurrence and I believe may not be the last and is the reason why I welcome the calls for improved security protocols at the various health facilities across the country.
Several speculative narratives are flying all over with calls for a harsher punishment.
As unfortunate as the action of the suspect was, it is important that she is also checked mentally and psychologically. A number of factors may have contributed to this action including an inability to conceive and the ensuing societal pressure and stigma of barrenness.
A lot of women are facing such challenges but have not mustered the courage to attempt such a heinous crime. This should occupy the minds of agencies responsible for women issues to increase awareness on situations like this.
A woman whose marriage is collapsing under the weight of barrenness can be affected psychologically and, in that situation, could arrive at any decision.
Naa Torshie,
Dansoman
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