Minority leader in Parliament, Cassiel Ato Forson, has called for a parliamentary inquiry into the spillage of the Akosombo dam that has caused widespread damage and displacement in several regions of the country.
The government and the Volta River Authority (VRA), he said, have failed to provide adequate emergency response and disaster relief to the affected communities.
In his opening remarks on the resumption of Parliament for the third session of the eighth Parliament of the Fourth Republic on Tuesday, October 31, the Minority leader stressed it is imperative for the House to probe what really happened with the spillage.
He said, “The spillage of the Akosombo dam is arguably the biggest man-made disaster to ever befall our nation.”
“It has rendered several thousands of people homeless and swept away farms and destroyed livelihoods of many people in parts of the Volta Regions, Oti Region, Eastern Region, Greater Accra, Bono East, Savanna, and Northern Region.”
He disclosed that the Minority Caucus will present a motion to demand a parliamentary inquiry into the circumstances that led to the disaster and hold those responsible accountable.
“We want to know why the spillage was not prevented or mitigated in time, what measures were taken to warn and evacuate the people living downstream, how much damage has been done to the environment and infrastructure, and what plans are in place to rehabilitate and compensate the victims,” he said.
He also urged the government to allocate more resources and personnel to assist the affected regions and provide them with food, water, shelter, health care, and other basic needs.
“We are calling on the government to show more compassion and urgency in dealing with this crisis.”
“The people are suffering and they need our help. We cannot abandon them in their time of need,” he said.