The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) says it may be compelled to temporarily shut down its plant at the Nawuni water intake point in the Northern Region as the Bagre Dam will be opened today, Friday, August 27, 2021.

Officials of the GWCL in the region say they may take such action if the maximum level of the intake exceeds 36 feet.

In an interview with Citi News, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) for the Ghana Water Company Limited in the Northern Region, Nicolas Nii Abbey, said the shutdown would be part of measures to protect their equipment and installations.

“What we have done is that we have put in place some contingency measures. One of them is to sensitize the public and our consumers that we are not there yet but in the event that we get to the 36ft maximum level, we may be compelled to shut down.”

“This will be very important to safeguard the people in the area and the equipment.”

The spillage of the Bagre dam from neighbouring Burkina Faso is a yearly exercise to prevent any breakage of the dam’s banks.
Over the years, the dam is spilled either in August or September when it overflows its bank.

This spillage often leads to flooding and displaces residents in communities along the White Volta in the Bawku Municipality, Bawku West, Garu, Binduri, Nabdam, and Talensi districts.

Meanwhile, some residents of Nawuni have started relocating, while others say they have nowhere to go and are appealing to authorities to assist them to relocate to higher grounds.

The rising White Volta is gradually approaching the foundation of some houses in the Nawuni community. Already, some farmlands have been submerged.

Farmers are rushing to harvest their produce before the spillage of the Bagre dam.

Last year, several homes and properties were destroyed by floods and rendered hundreds homeless.

“When the level of the water rises, we won’t have an option than to leave. We will seek shelter from friends. We have not had money to relocate since last year. So for now, we will leave until the water recedes. We also want people to support us,” a resident told Citi News.