TIG Post

Tag: Lake Volta

  • Ghana, AfDB ink deal to reposition Lake Volta as a central logistics and industrial hub

    Ghana, AfDB ink deal to reposition Lake Volta as a central logistics and industrial hub

    The government of Ghana and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have agreed to work together on a big project called the Volta Economic Corridor. This project is part of Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy and Export Growth Plan, also known as the 24H+ Programme.

    The agreement, signed on Wednesday, July 3, in Accra, lays out a plan to turn Lake Volta into a key area for transportation, business, and industry.

    The main goals are to help Ghana increase its exports, build stronger trade links with nearby African countries like Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, and support the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which promotes trade across Africa.

    At the signing event, Augustus Goosie Tanoh, who advises the President and leads the 24H+ Programme, said the partnership was an important and exciting move forward for the country.

    “This partnership signals Ghana’s commitment to mobilise transformative capital, world-class expertise, and public-private partnerships to drive our 24-hour production ambition and unlock export competitiveness,” he stated.

    He added that the initiative is designed to be private-sector led, with government seed capital unlocking greater pools of private investment. 

    “AfDB’s collaboration with Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF) and the Secretariat gives us confidence that we can deliver projects that create jobs, raise incomes, and position Ghana as a leading trade and industrial hub under AfCFTA,” Mr Tanoh added.

    Director for Infrastructure and Urban Development at the AfDB, Mike Salawou, who signed on behalf of the bank, underscored the importance of the project for Africa’s infrastructure-led development agenda. 

    “The African Development Bank welcomes this opportunity to deepen our collaboration with Ghana by working closely with the 24H+ Secretariat and the GIIF to support the success of the Volta Economic Corridor project,” he said.

    Under the agreement, the GIIF will serve as the principal infrastructure anchor, overseeing the creation of three Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) that will focus on key components of the corridor: inland water transport and port infrastructure, agro-ecological parks and irrigation systems, and lakeside industrial parks with logistics zones.

    Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF) Nana Dwemoh Benneh, said the fund is playing an important role in connecting government plans with money from private businesses. He is confident that, with support from the government, GIIF can attract the funding needed to make the project a reality.

    The project will be carried out by the 24H+ Secretariat and GIIF, with support from the African Development Bank (AfDB). The bank has promised to help raise more money from other private investors and development partners to get the project going.

    This initiative is a key part of Ghana’s plan to bring its 24-hour economy policy to life. The goal is to increase production and create jobs by working closely with the private sector.

    In the end, the Volta Economic Corridor is expected to improve transport within the country, boost industrial activities, and strengthen farming and food processing.

    It is also expected to become a good example of how African countries can build shared infrastructure and grow trade across borders, which supports the African Union’s long-term development plan, known as Agenda 2063.

    The project fits perfectly with AfDB’s main goals of improving food security, growing industries, and connecting African countries. It is seen as a major project that shows how Ghana’s 24H+ Programme can turn national goals into practical, high-impact developments.

  • Akosombo dam spillage: Lake Volta Tilapia industry loses GHC46m in massive floods

    Akosombo dam spillage: Lake Volta Tilapia industry loses GHC46m in massive floods

    Tilapia farmers in Lake Volta, Ghana’s largest aquaculture production area, have suffered huge losses due to the spillage of water from the Akosombo and Kpong Dams by the Volta River Authority (VRA) in September. 

    According to a report by Efua Konyim Okai, West African aquaculture correspondent for The Fish Site, an online platform for the global aquaculture community, the farmers lost fish with an estimated value of 46 million cedis ($3.9 million) and many cages were damaged or swept away by the flood waters.

    The VRA started a controlled spill from the dams on September 15, 2023, as a safety measure to prevent flooding, and advised people in the nearby areas to take precautionary measures. However, over the next few days, the spillage caused widespread damage to the cages on Lake Volta, which is home to about 90 percent of Ghana’s cage fish farms.

    The situation took a further dire turn in October when the VRA issued another warning about impending spillage. John Domozoro, CEO of PBA Farms and secretary of the Ghana Aquaculture Association, voiced the distress of the local farming community, stating, “What we are seeing is a major loss of capital to the industry and to the nation. This will certainly affect the supply and prices of fish in Ghana and even neighbouring countries. The serious thing is that this is not over. We could witness more of such occurrences.”

    Workers struggle to rescue tilapia cages on Lake Volta that were harmed by the flooding| Image credit: The Fish Site

    Witnesses to the catastrophe, like Sejiro Oke-Tojinu, an aquaculture executive attending a workshop in the area, expressed sheer disbelief at the scale of the destruction.

    “I have never seen such damage in my life,” he lamented, describing the sight of numerous fish cages, now debris, being carried away by the spillage.

    “I could see, from my hotel, lots of cages accompanied by aquatic waste, being washed away. Lots of resources have been lost, and my heart goes out to the affected farmers,” he explained.

    In response to the crisis, the Fisheries Commission has advised farmers on emergency measures, including relocating their cages closer to the riverbanks and strengthening their anchorage.

    Additionally, there is an emphasis on the urgent need for affordable insurance packages for fish farmers, as discussions with insurance companies are currently underway.

  • Lake Volta Fish Farmers suffer GHC 46m blow from dam spillage

    Lake Volta Fish Farmers suffer GHC 46m blow from dam spillage

    Tilapia farmers in Lake Volta, Ghana’s largest aquaculture production area, have suffered huge losses due to the spillage of water from the Akosombo and Kpong Dams by the Volta River Authority (VRA) in September.

    According to a report by Efua Konyim Okai, West African aquaculture correspondent for The Fish Site, an online platform for the global aquaculture community, the farmers lost fish with an estimated value of 46 million cedis ($3.9 million) and many cages were damaged or swept away by the flood waters.

    The VRA started a controlled spill from the dams on September 15, 2023, as a safety measure to prevent flooding, and advised people in the nearby areas to take precautionary measures. However, over the next few days, the spillage caused widespread damage to the cages on Lake Volta, which is home to about 90 percent of Ghana’s cage fish farms.

    The situation took a further dire turn in October when the VRA issued another warning about impending spillage. John Domozoro, CEO of PBA Farms and secretary of the Ghana Aquaculture Association, voiced the distress of the local farming community, stating, “What we are seeing is a major loss of capital to the industry and to the nation. This will certainly affect the supply and prices of fish in Ghana and even neighbouring countries. The serious thing is that this is not over. We could witness more of such occurrences.”

    Workers struggle to rescue tilapia cages on Lake Volta that were harmed by the flooding| Image credit: The Fish Site

    Witnesses to the catastrophe, like Sejiro Oke-Tojinu, an aquaculture executive attending a workshop in the area, expressed sheer disbelief at the scale of the destruction. “I have never seen such damage in my life,” he lamented, describing the sight of numerous fish cages, now debris, being carried away by the spillage.

    “I could see, from my hotel, lots of cages accompanied by aquatic waste, being washed away. Lots of resources have been lost, and my heart goes out to the affected farmers,” he explained.

    In response to the crisis, the Fisheries Commission has advised farmers on emergency measures, including relocating their cages closer to the riverbanks and strengthening their anchorage. Additionally, there is an emphasis on the urgent need for affordable insurance packages for fish farmers, as discussions with insurance companies are currently underway.

  • Drowning incident on the rise as body of a minor retrieved from Volta Lake

    Tragedy has hit the people ofJaklai, Yeji, as a 12-year-old boy named David Tsitor drowned in the Volta Lake.

    The incident occurred on Sunday, May 21, 2023, with the news reaching residents at around 9:30 am.

    According to witnesses at the scene, the young boy, along with two companions, had gone to the water’s edge to fetch water when the unfortunate incident took place.

    Eyewitnesses recounted that the boys ventured onto the lake using a canoe and began playing.

    However, the situation quickly turned dire when the canoe owner noticed their presence and attempted to flee. In a panic, the boys jumped into the water. While two of them were successfully rescued, tragically, David Tsitor drowned.

    Community leader Godwin Kedzi shared these details, highlighting the efforts made to rescue the boys and the sorrow felt by the community. Godwin Awudi, the Assemblyman for Yeji Traditional Council Electoral Area, commended the swift response of the search party involved in the incident.

    Addressing the ongoing concern, Awudi expressed his worries about the increasing frequency of drowning incidents in the area.

    He emphasized the need to implement measures to prevent children from swimming in the lake, taking steps to enhance safety and prevent further tragedies.

    On April 30, 2023, rescuers in the Oti region’s Krachi West Municipality retrieved the bodies of a man and woman who were believed to have drowned when their canoe capsized on Volta Lake.

    Two teenage siblings and their friend also drowned in the White Volta River at Naaga, a community in the Kassena Nankana Municipality in the Upper East Region.

    The unfortunate incident happened around 3 pm on Saturday, April 15, 2023.

    The deceased, two boys and one girl, were among eight teenagers between the ages of 11 and 17 who had gone to wash mangoes and swim in the river.

    They reportedly went to get mango fruits from a big mango tree close to the river in the community since they were not allowed to take mangoes belonging to neighbours in the area.

    After successfully plucking the mangoes, they decided to go into the river to wash the fruits.

    In the process, they all jumped into the river to swim.

    Unfortunately, they drifted towards the deep part of the river.

    Five of them managed to swim back to the riverside, but the river carried away three others.

  • Dredging of portions of Volta River begins – DCE

    Ms Sarah Dugbakie Pobee, Ada East District Chief Executive, says some portions of the Volta River will be dredged to reduce the trend of tidal waves and high rate of flooding in the district.

    She said the river had not been dredged in more than 20 years, resulting in flooding and destruction of lives and property.

    Ms Pobee said this during an ordinary meeting of the Ada East District Assembly, explaining that the dredging would start from the Ada Estuary through to Sogakope to Akosombo.

    She said a contract had been awarded to Lower Volta Dredging Contractors Limited, a solely owned Ghanaian company, which had already moved to a site at Angornya to start the process.

    She said the company was currently undertaking a survey on the river to ascertain routes for the vessels to enter the district.

    Ms Pobee said the district had done the first phase of community engagement with residents and would be engaging traditional leaders, assembly members, and all communities involved.


    “Our fishermen and other users of the river would also be engaged extensively on the activities, including the scope of work, area of coverage, what they are expected to do and not to do, among other issues,” she said.

    The Ada East District Chief Executive, therefore, called for cooperation to ensure that the project is completed on schedule.

    Source: GNA