The ongoing overflow from the Akuse/Kpong dam, managed by the Volta River Authority, has not only caused extensive damage to homes and other properties but has also taken a toll on farmlands.
In Torgorme, within the North Tongu District of the Volta Region, a banana plantation spanning 40 to 45 hectares, bearing 44,528 bunches, has been swept away.
Among the numerous farmlands affected by this deluge is a banana plantation owned by Golden Exotics in Asutsuare, located in the Eastern Region, employing over 4,000 workers.
Approximately 40 to 45 hectares out of a total of 171.41 hectares of banana plantation, yielding a total of 681.71 tons of bananas, have been submerged due to the overflow. The management warns that if the overflow persists, the entire plantation will be ruined.
Up to now, the estimated cost of the damaged section of the farm is around half a million dollars, and the overflow has also had repercussions on the livelihoods of many workers residing in villages like Alabonu and Torgorme.
The company’s management has taken steps to address the situation, enlisting the assistance of the Ghana Water Company to pump excess water from the plantation.
Mark Achel, the Corporate Affairs and Administration Manager of the company, described the harm caused by the overflow. He also mentioned that, despite the losses, the company is providing relief items and clean water to communities in its vicinity on a daily basis, with a particular focus on the Akuse Government Hospital, which has been without water for more than three weeks.