The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has refuted claims that the death of a farmer in the West Mamprusi Municipality was linked to the Bagre Dam spillage.
The farmer, identified as 55-year-old Baba Takora from the Yama community, drowned on August 25 while fetching water from a tributary of the White Volta to assist labourers on his maize farm.
In a statement, NADMO clarified that Mr. Takora’s death was not connected to flooding from the Bagre Dam. “Contrary to media reports, his death was not caused by the Bagre Dam spillage. At the time of the incident, the dam’s discharges had not yet reached Ghanaian rivers,” the Organisation said.
Officials added that water released from Burkina Faso typically takes about 24 hours to reach Yarigu station, where it is monitored by the Water Resources Commission.
The Organisation explained that on the day of the incident, the Bagre Dam’s discharge rate was 47.34 cubic metres per second, which was too low to affect local river levels.
NADMO attributed any increases in water levels at the time to rainfall and not the dam’s spillage. It further emphasised that the farmer tragically drowned because he was unaware of the tributary’s depth.
Mr. Takora, who left behind his wife, Madam Sala Baba, and five children, died while working on his farm. NADMO extended condolences to the bereaved family and the Yama community while assuring the public of ongoing safety measures, including evacuation plans, safe havens, and sensitisation efforts.
Farmers and residents were urged to be cautious around rivers and tributaries, as varying depths still pose a major drowning risk.
