Government is to construct storm drains in parts of Northern Ghana to control the devastation caused by spillage of the Bagre Dam.

Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia revealed that a group from made up of representatives from Ghana and Burkina Faso has been constituted to ensure better cooperation in relation to the release of water from the Bagre Dam. 

He said this when he handed over assorted emergency relief items to the victims of flooding in some communities in the Upper East and West regions.

Unusually heavy rainfall this year has caused major devastation in parts of the three northern regions.

The spillage of the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso has only worsened the situation, leading to the loss of several lives and the destruction of property worth millions of cedis.

The items include student size mattresses; bundles of clothes; chlorine; bags of maize, sugar and rice; boxes of cooking oil; soap; blankets; plastic buckets, bowls, cups and mats; bags of sachet water, as well as boxes of mosquito coils and treated mosquito nets.

The families of those who passed away as a result of the flood also received cash donations to help lessen the burden such deaths had imposed on them.

Affected communities include Mangu, Kambali and Kunbiehi in the Wa Municipality of the Upper West region; Walinbalee in the Sissala East District; Siniesi in the Builsa North district; Kologo in the Kassena Nankana East District; and Winkogo in the Talensi district, all in the Upper East Region.

Accompanied by the Minister for the Interior who is also Nandom MP, Ambrose Dery; Defence minister, Dominic Nitiwul; Navrongo Central MP, Joseph Adda; the Director General of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Eric Nana Agyemang-Prempeh, and other officials.

The delegation led by the Vice President inspected the damage and commiserated with the victims.

He also pledged government’s commitment to deal with the factors that led to the floods and deaths, including broken bridges and the lack of flood control measures such as dams.

Responding to a call by the Paramount Chief of Talensi, Tongo-Rana Kubilsong Nalebegtang, for the revival of plans drawn up by the Kufuor administration - to construct a multi-purpose dam at Pwalugu and Juala, Dr Bawumia said government is paying keen attention to the matter to fix it.

He explained that the Pwalugu project would not only control flooding but would also help to enhance agriculture production through irrigation and also help generate electricity to meet the growing national demand.

“Tongo-Rana, I can assure you that we are very interested in making sure that this project sees the light of day”, Dr Bawumia indicated.

The Vice President will on Sunday visit areas affected by the floods in the Northern region.