Africa-Press – Ghana. Mr Donatus Atanga Akamugri, the Upper East Regional Minister, has appealed to farmers and residents living along the White Volta River basin to take precautionary measures as the spillage of the Bagre and Kompienga Dams in Burkina Faso commenced.
He advised communities in low-lying and flood-prone areas, who are often affected by the annual spillage, to consider relocating to safer and higher grounds to avert the loss of lives, property, and farmlands.
“We equally advise that those whose crops are matured should harvest them, but we pray that the spillage will not be too much to submerge the crops that are not water-resistant. Otherwise, the farmers will face serious difficulty, and it will be a loss to the state,” Mr Akamugri said in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga.
The spillage of the Bagre and Kompienga Dams is carried out annually to protect the structural integrity of the dams, but the exercise often threatens communities downstream in northern Ghana.
Information from the Water Resources Commission in Ghana indicated that SONABEL, the Power Producing Company of Burkina Faso, on Monday, August 25, 2025, at about 1030 hours, opened the floodgates of the Bagre Dam at a discharge rate of 47.34 cubic metres per second.
The water from the spillage is expected to reach Ghana, particularly some districts in the Upper East and North East Regions within 72 hours.
The floodwaters from the spillage could cause the White Volta River to overflow its banks and affect several communities in districts, including Binduri, Bawku West, Bawku Municipal, Talensi, and Nabdam in the Upper East Region and some parts of North East Region.
Farmers along the White Volta are likely to have their crops submerged, with possible displacement of families and disruption of livelihoods, which could worsen the food insecurity situation among vulnerable communities.
According to the Regional Minister, the Regional Disaster Management Taskforce has already sensitised communities along the affected areas to relocate and take safety measures to prevent loss of lives and property.
Mr Akamugri stressed that government agencies, including the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), were on high alert and working closely with district assemblies and other stakeholders to manage the situation.
“We have written to NADMO to ask for relief items in readiness in the event that the spillage affects people living along the White Volta basin. We are asking for mattresses, buckets, cups, hand gloves, wellington boots, among others, to be able to respond swiftly when needed,” he said.
He further urged community leaders to cooperate with disaster management officials and support public education campaigns aimed at minimising the impact of the spillage.
For More News And Analysis About Ghana Follow Africa-Press
