False! Akufo-Addo did not order dam spillage as payback to Volta region residents

On Tuesday, October 17, 2023, a popular X (formerly Twitter) handle, @bongoideas, alleged that President Akufo-Addo deliberately ordered the spillage of the Akosombo Dam as an act of retaliation against the people of Lower Volta for not voting for him.

Sources say Akufo-Addo intentionally ordered the spillage of the Akosombo Dam to flood the people of lower Volta as a payback for not voting for him (The NPP). Wicked! pic.twitter.com/EGo68jM570

— Albert Nat Hyde (@BongoIdeas) October 17, 2023

At the time of this publication, the post had reached over 370,000 people with 6, 176 views and generated colossal reactions.

Fact-check Ghana has verified the claim and found it to be false.

Claim: “Sources say Akufo-Addo intentionally ordered the spillage of the Akosombo Dam to flood the people of lower Volta as a payback for not voting for him (The NPP). Wicked!”

Verdict: Completely false

Explanation: In anticipation of the possibility of spilling the Dam, the Volta River Authority (VRA) together with the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) held an emergency preparedness exercise on how to control the situation in May 2023.

Dubbed “Da Woho So” 2023, the flood inundation simulation took place in three different locations on Thursday, May 11, 2023, namely, Dzidzorkope in Asuogyaman, Azizakpe in Ada East and Mepe in North Tongu districts of the Eastern, Greater Accra and Volta Regions.

According to the VRA, the simulation exercise was to “assess and improve their emergency response plans, procedures and capabilities; as well as test their readiness to deal with lives and emergencies caused by the release of a significant quantity of water from the Akosombo and Kpong Dams”.

The emergency preparedness exercise was covered and reported by many media houses including Business and Financial Times, Graphic and Ghanaian Times.

Thus, the spillage of the dam could not have been an intentional plan to pay back residents in the Volta region if they were indeed informed and a simulation exercise was held to help them prepare for the flooding.

Based on the above, it is clear that the incident could not have been an intentional scheme devised by President Akufo-Addo to punish the residents of the Volta region for not voting for him.