The Paramount Chief of the Amugo-Vego Traditional Area in the Keta Municipality, Togbi Tenge Dzokoto Gligui VII, has appealed to residents to remain calm as the Keta Lagoon floodgates are being opened to mitigate the flooding situation affecting several communities in the area.  

He also urged engineers and technical personnel overseeing the exercise to closely monitor water levels and close the gate at the appropriate time.  

He warned against a repeat of the drought experienced three years ago due to the late closure of the floodgate, which allowed excessive lagoon water to flow into the sea.  

Togbi Tenge Dzokoto Gligui VII, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, stated that the current flooding situation differed from what occurred in 2023, when the Akosombo Dam spillage was the major cause, and noted that the recent flooding had instead been driven largely by heavy rainfall in the areas.  

Togbi Tenge Dzokoto Gligui, who is also the Dufia of Anyako-Konu and head of the "Bate" Clan, commended the Keta Municipal Chief Executive, Wisdom Seade, together with a team of engineers led by Mr Rex Edeckor and technical staff from the Volta River Authority, for their swift intervention.  

"My appeal goes to the residents in flood-affected communities within my jurisdiction, including Anlo-Afiadenyigba, Seva, and Atiavi, among others, to remain patient and support the ongoing initiative to ensure its success," he said.  

He further advised the affected victims to be patient while the engineers and the technical team from the VRA, who were responsible for the opening of the floodgates, monitor the water level and close the gates when necessary to avoid any further unfortunate situations thereafter.  

Meanwhile, Engineer Rex Edeckor, speaking during a stakeholders' engagement meeting held at the Keta Municipal Assembly, said the opening of the floodgate had already begun yielding positive results, with water levels receding in many of the affected communities, such as Anyako, Atiavi-Glime, Fiaxor and Shime, among others.  

He said it would take approximately one to two weeks for floodwaters to fully recede from the various affected areas and explained that the Keta Lagoon covered an area of approximately 40 kilometres by 80 kilometres, and that the water level had risen by 1.5 metres, about one foot above its natural level, translating into an estimated 96 million cubic metres of excess water being channelled into the sea.