The 犀利士 Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA) has contested assertions attributing the flooding in the Dawhenya area solely to the spillage from the Dawhenya Dam. The recent spillage, occurring on November 27, 2023, led to significant devastation in the region, displacing numerous residents and submerging properties in floodwaters.
In a statement released on Thursday, November 30, 2023, GIDA dismissed the notion that the flooding solely stems from the dam’s spilled water. The authority highlighted the substantial contribution to downstream flow from the second basin, observed firsthand by the GIDA team and Member of Parliament, Hon. Samuel Nartey George, during their visit to the dam site on November 28, 2023.
GIDA emphasized a crucial point, stating that whenever rainfall occurs simultaneously in both watersheds and the two rivers share the same time of concentration (TC), the outflow channel experiences a rise in flow levels. This phenomenon reportedly recurs every three years and has been noted by locals who continue to construct along the watercourse downstream.
Highlighting a solution, GIDA emphasized the importance of maintaining a free natural water course to enable unimpeded discharge into the sea. The authority stressed the necessity of allowing unrestricted flow to mitigate flood risks in the area.