The Volta River Authority (VRA) has begun a concerted campaign to reduce flooding in Afram Plains North and South, convening traditional leaders, residents and district officials for a high-level stakeholder forum on flood prevention and management.

At the meeting, VRA Sustainability Manager Hagan Jonathan warned that settlements creeping toward the Volta Lake are undermining the Authority’s ability to regulate water levels.
“Some communities have built right on the riverbank,” he said.

“We are urging those households to relocate to safer ground.

Continuing to live there endangers lives and complicates our operations.”

Practical safeguards shared by VRA technicians included:

• Siting new homes on elevated ground and steering clear of known floodplains

• Installing well-planned drainage and culverts to channel stormwater away

• Maintaining vegetation and planting trees to stabilise soil and cut run-off

“These steps don’t only curb floods,” Jonathan added. “They safeguard livelihoods and protect the lake itself.”

District Chief Executive for Kwahu Afram Plains South, Moses Tangmee, welcomed the initiative, saying early engagement would “save the government immense resources — and, more importantly, save lives.”

He, however, appealed to VRA to revisit compensation packages for resettlement towns such as Forifori and Kwame Dwamena, which he said had been overlooked in payouts received by other affected communities.

Both the VRA and the district Assembly pledged to keep dialogue open and to develop a joint action plan that marries community input with technical expertise.

Residents left the session with information sheets outlining relocation incentives and contact points for further guidance.

With the rainy season looming, officials hope the collaboration will translate into swift, practical changes — and fewer emergency evacuations when the next heavy downpour arrives.