The Municipal Chief Executive for Weija-Gbawe, Felix Odartey Lamptey, has expressed concern over what he describes as a lack of prior notification before the spillage of the Weija Dam, a situation he says worsened the impact of flooding in surrounding communities.
He explained that the Municipal Assembly was not informed ahead of time by the Ghana Water Company Limited, limiting its ability to prepare and alert residents in vulnerable areas. The absence of early communication, he noted, contributed significantly to the scale of disruption currently being experienced.
“We were not given any prior notice, so we could not prepare adequately as a municipal assembly,” he said, stressing that earlier coordination mechanisms had in the past helped reduce the impact of similar water releases.
According to him, although the spillway was opened on Wednesday evening, the speed and volume of water that followed exceeded expectations, quickly inundating homes and streets in low-lying communities.
“They opened the spillway and suddenly saw water entering houses. It was not expected to rise to that level so quickly,” he said.
Mr. Lamptey further recounted efforts to engage officials of the Ghana Water Company Limited after the situation escalated, stating that he was unable to meet the responsible manager at the time and was informed the officer was unavailable.
In response to the flooding, he said emergency measures have since been activated to assist affected residents. These include the deployment of small boats to evacuate people, particularly those unable to swim, as well as the use of vehicles to relocate families and their belongings to safer locations, including churches within the municipality.
He added that Assembly Members have been directed to support evacuation efforts and help coordinate relief for displaced households.
Meanwhile, several communities in Weija continue to battle rising floodwaters following the dam spillage, with hundreds of homes submerged and many residents forced to abandon their properties as authorities work to manage the crisis.
