Aveyime (V/R), May 5, GNA - The Volta River Authority (VRA) on Thursday presented a water pump and valve worth GH¢ 7,000 to the residents of Aveyime and its environs in the North Tongue District of the Volta Region.

The presentation was necessitated by an appeal made by the community for the replacement of a water pump destroyed through a spillage from the Akosombo Dam in November last year. The pump was serving Aveyime Central, Mangoase, Akawoekope, Salem, Klodzikope and Megbedzze.

Mr Emmanuel Amekor, Manager in charge of Environment at VRA, expressed gratitude to the residents for recognising the company's immense contribution in the development of the area. He said the VRA had given GH¢2,000 to the National Disaster Management Organisation to support victims of the spillage. Mr Amekor said the Authority had also drafted an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) that provided the way forward for the development of the Akosombo and Kpong dams catchment areas for viable economic activities.

The EMP will address environmental and health effects of the Akosombo and the Kpong dams in the catchment areas. Mr Amekor said with the current rain fall trend in the North and neighbouring Burkina Faso, it was likely there would another spillage this year.

He said there was ongoing sensitisation to create awareness for the people ahead of the exercise. Alhaji Bube Dzinadu, District Chief Executive, commended the VRA for the presentation. He appealed to the VRA to empower the district assemblies to educate communities along the lake against future spillage. He said the legislation that created compensation for communities in the upstream basin had to be reviewed to take care of those in the lower stream.

Aveyime is a small farming community with about 12,000 residents with cassava, maize, Okro and groundnut as the main crops. 5 May 11