The Concerned Citizens of Mepe in the Volta Region are urgently appealing to government of Ghana to shape and resurface all access routes in Mepe town and those leading to surrounding villages.
They are also requesting the provision of proper drainage facilities and canals to harvest and channel excess spilled water
for agricultural purposes.
Furthermore, the citizens are calling for the resurfacing and construction of proper bridges along the routes from Mepe to Titikope through Dadome to Atitetei, Adidome to Podoe, Mepe to Dove Junction, Mepe through Aveyime to Asutsuare, and Battor to Mepe through BASEC and Battor to Mafi-Aklamador.
In addition, they demanded adequate compensation for farmers, livestock owners, and fish farmers to sustain themselves while working on new fields.
They also seek proper compensation for all those who lost their properties, as well as those whose building plots were affected by the creation of an alternative route from Battor to Holy Christ Preparatory School by the Volta River Authority (VRA).
The Concerned Citizens are urging the government to press upon VRA and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to waive electricity bills for the period from October 2023 to March 2024. They also emphasize the need for speedy construction of promised housing units.
This appeal was made at a press conference organized by the Concerned Citizens in response to the aftermath of the Akosombo Dam spillage.
The residents, clad in red attires recalled that on October 2, 2023, the VRA started spilling water from the reservoir of the Volta Dam at Akosombo.
According to them, the spilled water severely affected downstream communities, including Torgome, Fodzoku, Dorfor, Volo, Battor, Mepe, Mafi Adidome and its villages, Bakpa, Vume, Tefle, Fieve, Sokpoe, Sogakope, some of the Agave towns along the Volta River, Ada, Anyanui, as well as Anloga and Keta.
They pointed out that the three Tongu Districts—North Tongu, Central Tongu, and South Tongu—were the hardest hit, with the epicenter being Mepe. Thousands of houses, crops, and livestock were destroyed in Mepe following the dam spillage, yet the government has not compensated the flood victims who continue to suffer from the loss of their livelihoods and properties.
They lamented that many flood victims in Mepe remain homeless and have been sleeping under canopies since the disaster.
According to the citizens, the spillage appeared to be deliberately calculated, planned, and executed without adequate contingency plans and measures in place to mitigate the impact on affected communities.
They noted that for over 200 years, the people of Mepe lived in harmony with the River Volta.
The annual flooding replenished soil fertility, contributing to agricultural yields, while the community engaged in oyster picking, fishing, and hunting.
However, since the test run of the Volta Dam, such catastrophic flooding had not been experienced until now.
The community’s sources of livelihood have been severely impacted, leading to out-migration and ongoing health challenges.
Relief items promised by the VRA and central government have not materialized beyond an initial, inadequate supply.
The citizens praised the Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu Constituency, Honourable Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, for his efforts in mobilizing resources and support for the victims.
In light of the circumstances, the concerned citizens are calling for the government to declare the area a disaster zone and implement serious measures to alleviate the suffering.
Their demands include: immediate action to fix the Aklakpa River bridge.provision of safety canoes for school children, improvement of access roads and drainage systems, addressing health challenges caused by polluted water bodies, adequate compensation for lost properties, farms, and livestock, speedy construction of promised housing units, Waiver of electricity bills for affected households from October 2023 to March 2024.
On the issue of broke steel bridge at Mepe-Sayikope-Aklakpanu, the residents complained bitterly that this is the only lifeline linking North and Central Tongu Districts.
They indicated that it was eight months now the steel bridge across River Aklakpa at Mepe-Sayikope, connecting Juapong to Adidome Tagazi collapsed under the weight of a heavy-duty truck.
For now, they complained that all motorists had been directed to detour through Dadome, to Adidome in the Central Tongu District, and then to Juapong.
“We are saying the Aklakpa Bridge is crucial for their community, because human activities, especially business, has come to a standstill since it collapsed.
“The lives of people including over 300 school children from surrounding communities risk their lives daily by crossing the River Aklakpa to access education in Sayikope, Mepe township and Dadome due to the collapse of the bridge.
“Following this situation, we the concerned citizens of Mepe are calling on government to take immediate action to fix the Aklakpa River bridge.
“We are also stressing the urgent need for the central government and VRA to provide safety canoes to be used by school children from surrounding communities to cross the river to to access education in order to safeguard the heart threatening situation in the area,” they explained.
The citizens stressed the need for concrete data to ensure proper support for those directly and indirectly affected by the flood.
They also urged the government and VRA to honor their promises and take swift action to prevent future disasters.
The press conference concluded with a plea for immediate and effective intervention to restore the community and safeguard their future.
