The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) began the spillage of excess water from the Weija Dam at 6:00a.m. yesterday as announced in a statement it issued in Accra on Monday evening.
The spillage, it said, had become necessary because of the sudden rise of the level of the dam from 46.2 feet to 48.1 feet within a 24-hour period.
“Management of GWCL is also informing the general public, as well as institutions and organisations that have properties downstream of the imminent danger and therefore must take the necessary precautionary measures. Affected areas include Tetegu, Oblogo, Pambros Salt, Lower McCarthy Hill, Lower Weija, Bojo Beach, Ada Kopey and surrounding communities,” it said.
Meanwhile the company’s Chief Manager in charge of Public Relations and Communications, Mr Stanley Mantey, has stated the GWCLwill not be held liable for damages caused to life and property resulting from the spillage.
He explained it was the responsibility of the assemblies to ensure that individuals, institutions and organisations that had properties downstream were cleared off in view of imminent dangers.
“GWCL does not have the mandate to stop people from putting up buildings, but the assemblies have that responsibility to stop people from building in unapproved areas,” Mr Mantey said.
Announcing the spillage in an interview on Accra-based Angel FM radio station yesterday, monitored by the Ghanaian Times, Mr Mantey said it was the mandate of the Ga South and Weija-Gbawe municipal assemblies to ensure persons with properties in the affected areas were relocated.
“We are going to spill until the water falls within the maximum operating level before we stop the spillage. We, as a company, do not have any challenges when spilling because this is a normal standard process.
“But anytime there is spillage, it creates problems for those living downstream, especially those who have their buildings along the waterways and the buffer zones. That is why we announce for them tomove to safe areas,” he said.
Mr Mantey said the GWCL collaborated with the district assemblies and had representatives at the district assemblies who updated the assemblies on operations of the company.
“Because human lives are involved, that is why we announce. So going forward, the assembly must demolish or provide some form of compensation for those who annually are affected to relocate,” he said.
BY BERNARD BENGHAN
