By: Helena Selby
The inability of the Akosombo dam to sustain the nation and other neighbouring countries has brought about the relevance of constructing another dam to supplement its supply. It is the hope of the nation that history does not repeat itself, where the water level of the Akosombo dam fell due to inadequate rainfall, compelling the electricity company to ration power for the whole nation, and the other neighbouring countries.
This situation brought about a lot of inconvenience to private and commercial businesses and even to domestic users. People made a lot of loss in their businesses. The Akosombo dam, being the sole supplier of hydroelectric power in the country, which is also one of the cheapest forms of power generation, always puts the nation in an inconvenient situation when a problem arises.
Even in the capital cities, power outages are the order of the day, with some suburbs experiencing outages which last sometimes up to a week.
Those who are fortunate not to obtain any power outages in turn experience power fluctuations, making it impossible to leave appliances like fridges on, when leaving home.
The government taking into consideration all these inconveniences embarked upon the construction of another dam to complement that of Akosombo.
That is the Bui Dam situated in the Brong-Ahafo Region of Ghana.
The Bui Dam
The Bui Dam is meant to supplement the supply of hydroelectric power in the country. This project is under the National Coordinating Committee of the Ghana Dams Dialogue (GDD). This committee provides the arena for constructive deliberations around contentious issues related to hydropower dams, and apart from its activities attracting representatives from governmental ministries, it has, as well, received support from the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ).
According to Mr. Richard Twum Koranteng from the secretariat of the GDD, the need for broadly agreed hydroelectric power sustainability assessment tools and standards, and avoidance of desperate approaches being used at the local, national and regional levels, necessitated the development of the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol (HSAP) by the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Forum (HSAF). According to a report by Joy FM, an Accra-based radio station, the project would cover the construction of a new metropolis, a national park, and an irrigation system to provide constant supply of water for all-year farming activities in the area. The Bui Dam project itself, is expected to generate 400 megawatts on completion. The construction of the dam has the possibility of flooding some parts of the Bui National Park, and would affect a large number native wildlife species, and as well force people there to resettle elsewhere.
GDD plan for the communities The construction of the dam has brought about seven displaced communities, unlike during the construction of the Akosombo Dam, where about 52 communities were displaced, and government found difficulty in relocating them, that of the Bui dam is quite different, as the communities are not as many. Most times, a project which is meant to protect the interest of the country turns round to destroy the livelihoods of the people.
For instance, mining activities, which are meant to bring immense revenue to the country to help in raising the living standards of the people, rather makes the people a lot more destitute and needy.
This is because these mining companies do not pay adequate compensation, and the people whose lands are acquired fall into abject poverty with the acquisition.
Unlike the Bui Dam project, the affected people were well compensated, and their livelihoods still in progression. The third phase of the GDD was purposely aimed at building and providing tools for improved decision-making, leading to equitable, transparent, participatory and sustainable development of dams in Ghana.
However, its main objective is to provide recommendations and practical guidelines of primary use to the Bui Development Authority, for managing the impact on dam-affected communities, particularly those related to agriculture livelihoods and food security.
Additionally, to share information and increase awareness about resettlement and dam-related issues affecting local communities, and to bring together representatives of all dam affected communities, including Bui area, and other relevant stakeholders to deliberate on problems of the townships, and to come up with a common agenda for action towards the redress of the negative impact of dams on affected communities.
Communities and compensation process
According to Togbe Adom Drayi II from Tsyome Sabadu in the Kpondo District, and who is also the Chairman for the 52 Development Townships in Ghana, the people affected by the Bui dam project, so far are satisfied with the compensation process. The compensation of crops will be accessed by monetary value, those owning land will as well be compensated, and those whose houses were destroyed will have their houses replaced for them. He said out of the seven communities affected, about four have been relocated, however one of the communities was not satisfied with the nature of the houses, as they claim that they are smaller than their previous houses.
Indeed, when the GDD went around monitoring, they seconded the notion that the houses were small and too close to each other, and that they do not look like houses for a community, but rather camps. They therefore urged the builders to make the next houses a suitable place for the people to live in. According to Togbe Drayi II, it was sad that the farmers, after the compensation, will not have the chance to continue with their farming activities, as they might not get any land to farm. The GDD has therefore taken it upon themselves to educate them as to how they can make other livelihoods like aqua-farming or any other vocation with their compensations.
Outcome of the Bui dam construction
The construction of the dam will bring about the sustainability of power supply in the country, which will eventually help the businesses of people who depend on electrical power to sustain their industries. Households and companies will stop complaining about their appliances getting damaged, and to some extent, they will be able to save money, as they will not keep on buying and repairing damaged appliances. Moreover, the Bui dam construction will well provide employment. It will go a long way in sustaining the livelihood of many Ghanaians, especially people in the Bui township.
According to a statement made by former President John Agyekum Kufuor, about 3,000 people will be employed under the Bui Dam project. The offer of employment will decrease the government’s burden of unemployment in the country. The standard of living of the people will improve, and all kinds of social vices will be reduced.
Conclusion
The construction of the Bui dam has been a long term dream, which is soon to become a reality, as its benefits will rescue citizens of the nation from all kinds of inconveniences, both at the workplace and in the home. It is therefore the duty of all stakeholders involved in the project, to help study all subjects relating to the construction of the dam, and questions that are yet to surface, so as to help bring the dam to completion.
Individuals, especially the affected communities, should as well show support, and give attention to the compensation process, in order for them to speed up the project.
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