'After The Floods': Victims suffer harsh conditions 6 months after Akosombo dam disaster

Six months have passed since the Akosombo Dam disaster, yet victims lament that they have not regained normalcy, as the government remains silent on the path forward.

On September 15th, 2023, the lives of many Ghanaians in the lower Volta basin changed drastically.

The Volta River Authority (VRA) opened the floodgates of the country's largest hydro dam, the Akosombo Dam, citing excessive water levels threatening the dam's sustainability.

Subsequently, hundreds of downstream communities were inundated, leading to the destruction of thousands of livelihoods and homes, rendering many homeless and disrupting education for months.

According to the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), approximately 39,000 Ghanaian lives were affected.

In North Tongu alone, over 1,540 homes were destroyed.

Six months after this unprecedented disaster, Joy News revisited the affected areas to assess how victims were faring in its documentary 'AFTER THE FLOODS.' From Mepe, the epicentre of the flood disaster, the Joy News team surveyed over 112 villages in the North, Central, and South Tongu in the Volta Region, and interviewed numerous victims across communities.

In Mepe, victims like Patrick Worlanyo, a father of two, expressed their ongoing struggle to rebuild their lives.

I couldn't salvage anything from my room, and the structure itself is on the verge of collapse."

Thirteen kilometres away in the Sikor community, where over 100 houses were destroyed, the Joy News team met 54-year-old Agboklayi Amevor.

His six-bedroom house was razed by the flood, and his nine fishponds, each stocked with 3,000 catfish fingerlings, were completely swept away along with his water pumping machines.

Pregnant women were observed sleeping in makeshift structures made of palm branches and polythene as roofs.

A 42-year-old father of two recounted how reptiles entered their dwellings almost every night due to the absence of doors.

These stories resonate across the 112 villages visited by the Joy News team, with livelihoods destroyed and victims enduring severe post-disaster conditions.

The government announced a 220 Ghana cedis package for flood victims in its 2024 budget.

How can they address our concerns if they do not engage with us?"

He revealed that relief items from corporate Ghana and charitable organizations had also depleted, exacerbating the situation.

Questions linger regarding the fate of flood victims: Why has the government not fully intervened after six months?