Flooding in Upper East threatens Tomato Factory

Story: Benjamin Xornam Glover, Bolgatanga RISING FLOOD waters from the White Volta river at Pwalugu in the Upper East Region is posing a threat to the Northern Star Tomato Factory (NSTF) formerly Pwalugu Tomato factory in the Upper East Region. Even as the water levels have risen all around the plant, managers of the facility are worried that there is the possibility of the situation escalating, especially as the sluice gates of the Bagre Dam in neighboring Burkina Faso has been opened to allow the flow of excess water due to torrential rains in that country. Precincts of the tomato factory as well as farmlands close to the White Volta River have all been submerged in water. Though the factory is temporarily out of operation due to shortage of raw materials, some facilities such as the distribution panel which supplies power to other parts of the factory had been affected by the flood. The road leading to the factory had been inundated with water should the continuous flow of water persist, some equipment will be lost due to the floods. It will be recalled that on August 24, 2012, authorities in Burkina Faso issued an alert that due to heavy rains in that country, the Bagre Dam has reached it maximum operatinf level requiring a spillage. A delegation led by the Upper East Regional Minister, Mr. Mark Woyongo and the Chief Executive of SADA were in Bagre to witness the spillage. On their return, the tean said only one of the five gates was opened adding that the spillage was being done gradually. A few days after that visit, the rising waters from the spillage coupled with heavy rains in the Upper East Region are causing worries in downstream communities in Ghana. The White Volta River has reached the upper levels of their emergency flood assumptions bursting its banks and flooding major highways at Kobore in the Bawku West District and Pwalugu in the Talensi District. The already silted river is also posing a threat to the bridges spanning the river at Kobore in the Bawku West District and Pwalugu in the Talensi District. Briefing the Upper East Regional Minister, Mr. Mark Woyongo who toured the Northern Star Tomato Factory (NSTF) to assessed the threat posed by the rising flood waters, The General Manager of the NSTF, Kwabena Darko said the rising flood waters pose a threat the operations of the plant should the situation persist. Mr. Woyongo described the current water level as a disaster, considering devastating effect on lives and property including farmlands. The Regional Coordinator of National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Mr. Patrick Akake has reiterated calls for people living along water bodies as well as those occupying low lying areas to move to safer grounds till the rainy season is over. He said NADMO, is under resourced and cannot shoulder interventions alone. He therefore appealed to institutions and agencies to complement the effort of NADMO and the government by attending to flood victims in times of needs. In a related development, NADMO officials are expected to carry out an assessment of communities in the Bolgatanga municipality who were is severely affected by last Wednesday floods which also claimed one life. -End-