The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) says flooding of communities downstream of the Weija Dam will persist unless authorities muster the political will to relocate residents from areas originally designated as buffer zones.

Speaking during an assessment of the impact of the flooding on affected communities on Wednesday, September 9, the Greater Accra Regional Director of NADMO, Dennis Nartey, said the areas beneath the dam were deliberately reserved as buffers during the construction of the facility to accommodate excess water whenever the dam reaches high levels.

However, he said years of encroachment have significantly reduced the available buffer, leaving downstream communities vulnerable whenever water is released from the dam.

“At some point, there will be that political will to do resettlement,” he said.

He explained that the buffer zones were designed to provide space for water to flow when the dam is opened, but increasing development in those areas has undermined that arrangement.

He added, “When the dam was being built, they took into consideration all these factors and beneath the dam area, those places were to serve as buffers, so that in case the dam had to open, then the water would flow to those areas. But today we have encroached all those areas.”

Mr Nartey said NADMO's immediate responsibility is to reduce the risk to lives and property through public education and early warnings.

He assured residents that there was no cause for alarm, saying NADMO had intensified awareness campaigns and identified safer, higher areas where residents could move to in the event of possible flooding.

“When we are expecting heavy water level upstream, then we have to advise them. We have identified places that are very high for them, in case of any possible event. NADMO is ready,” he said.