In a statement, NADMO explained that the victim, 55-year-old Baba Takora from the Yama community, drowned on August 25 while fetching water from a tributary of the White Volta to support labourers working on his maize farm.

According to the Organisation, Mr. Takora was unaware of the depth of the tributary and tragically drowned in the process.

“Contrary to media reports, his death was not caused by flooding from the Bagre Dam spillage. At the time of the incident, the dam’s discharges had not yet reached Ghanaian rivers,” the statement clarified.

NADMO further noted that water released from the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso typically takes about 24 hours to reach Yarigu station, where levels are monitored by the Water Resources Commission.

“On the day of the incident, the dam’s discharge stood at 47.34 cubic metres per second—too low to influence water levels in local rivers. Any rises observed around that period were due to rainfall, not the dam spillage,” the statement added.

The late farmer, who left behind his wife, Madam Sala Baba, and five children, died while working on his farm, NADMO emphasised. The Organisation extended condolences to the family and the Yama community.

While stressing that this particular case was unrelated to the Bagre Dam, NADMO assured the public that it continues to track water levels across river bodies and has activated preparedness measures, including evacuation plans, safe havens and sensitisation campaigns, to protect lives and property.

The statement urged farmers and community members to exercise caution around rivers and tributaries, stressing that varying water depths continue to pose significant drowning risks.

Source: Adomonline

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Read the full statement below:

A farmer, Baba Takwara, drowned in the White Volta River at Yama, near Walewale in the North East Region, on the evening of Monday, August 25, 2025.

The deceased, originally from Kpasenkpe but farming in Yama, had gone with ten others to harvest crops when tragedy struck.

According to the Assembly Member for the area, Takwara asked his colleagues to begin working across the river while he stayed behind to fetch water and food but never returned. A search was launched, and his body was later discovered in the river.

Jacob Nluki, Assembly Member for the Kpasenkpe Traditional Area, confirmed the incident and attributed it to the significantly increased water levels caused by the Bagre Dam spillage. He added that the body has since been recovered and buried in accordance with Islamic customs.

Managers of the dam, SONABEL Energy, issued a warning on August 25, 2025, although confirmation of the spillage is still pending.

NADMO is urging residents in low-lying and flood-prone areas to move to higher ground as a precaution to protect lives and property. Districts in the Northern, Upper East, North East, and Savannah Regions are most likely to be affected.

The organisation says it is working closely with stakeholders to monitor the situation and implement response measures if flooding occurs. NADMO has also appealed to the media, opinion leaders, and local authorities to help spread the information, while urging citizens to remain calm and follow safety directives.

Source: AdomOnline

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The adjustment follows a sudden rise in the dam’s filling capacity, which has reached 90.24 per cent, with the water level recorded at 234.27 metres as of August 23, 2025.

In a statement, the Water Resources Commission, copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra, advised communities along the White Volta and adjoining areas to take necessary precautions.

Residents are urged to follow guidelines from local assemblies and relevant agencies to ensure their safety.

Source: GNA

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The announcement, which came at short notice, has heightened fear and anxiety among residents, many of whom worry about the destruction of their crops, farmlands, and livelihoods.

Mr. Samuel Azure, a peasant farmer in the Binduri District, lamented the short notice, saying: “The notice is too short. We received the information only a few days ago. Initially, the spillage was scheduled for August 27, but suddenly the date was changed to August 25, and we got the information just last Saturday.”

Many farmers are yet to complete harvesting, raising concerns about severe losses.

“Most of our farmers who planted maize and naara (early millet) are going to be adversely affected because they have not finished harvesting. If the destruction is severe, which we anticipate since our rivers are already full from recent rains, it could pose food insecurity to many families,” Mr. Azure added.

SONABEL, the Burkinabé power producer and manager of the dams, explained that the spillage was brought forward due to a rapid rise in water levels. As of Saturday, August 23, the Bagre Dam had reached 90.24% of its capacity at 234.27 metres—just 0.73 metres below its maximum retention level. The Kompienga Dam stood at 79.36% capacity at 177.90 metres, about 2.10 metres below its maximum retention level.

Over the years, the annual spillage has caused extensive flooding in parts of Ghana’s Upper East and North East Regions, leading to loss of lives, destruction of farms, damage to property, and displacement of families. Rice, maize, millet, and vegetable farmers along the White Volta are often the most severely affected.

Mr. Jesse Kazapoe, Head of the White Volta Basin at the Water Resources Commission, urged residents to move to safer grounds. “We have sent out information, educating the farmers to move to high grounds so we can prevent loss of lives, but we cannot guarantee that food crops will not be lost since some farmers are still harvesting,” he said.

Mr. Isaac Pabia, Upper East Regional Focal Person and National Secretary of the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), said the situation was unacceptable, calling for stricter enforcement of buffer zones to prevent farming too close to riverbanks.

Mr. Christopher Beokena, Upper East Regional Deputy Director of NADMO in charge of Administration, noted that district officers had been directed to sensitise farmers on safety measures. “As we speak, some farmers have started harvesting even though some of their crops are not mature, and we will be monitoring the issue and providing assistance,” he said.

Source: GNA

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• Burkina Faso announces controlled spillage of Bagre Dam 

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In a statement released on August 22, officials explained that the water level at the dam had risen to 233.98 metres, representing 86.38 percent of its storage capacity. This leaves just 1.02 metres below its maximum operational threshold.

The announcement, signed by Kindo Issiaka, Head of Hydraulics at SONABEL (Société Nationale d’Électricité du Burkina Faso), said the controlled spillage is a precautionary measure to safeguard both the dam’s structural integrity and public safety.

SONABEL urged communities downstream and others who may be impacted to take all necessary precautions ahead of the exercise.

The statement also gave an update on the Kompienga Dam, noting that it currently stands at an upstream elevation of 177.66 metres, which is about 77.26 percent of capacity, leaving 2.34 metres before reaching its peak limit.

Read the full statement below:

Source: Adomonline

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The proposed dam would be designed to store the water that is annually spilt from the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso, which currently causes significant destruction downstream.

Speaking on Accra based Citi FM, Prof. Kanton stressed that building a dam along the Kubore River would ensure a reliable water supply to numerous communities in the Northeast and Upper East regions during the dry season.

He suggested that, stakeholders consider adopting Israel’s water storage model, which has enabled the country to export high-quality vegetables despite limited rainfall.

“Israel doesn’t have enough rainfall, yet they export the best vegetables to Europe and other countries because they store water in aquifers for farming. I don’t understand why we allow Burkina Faso to spill all this water, causing destruction, instead of harnessing it,” he remarked.

Prof. Kanton further proposed that, in addition to the multipurpose dam at Pwalugu, a larger dam at Kubore would greatly benefit not only the Upper East region but the entire country by enhancing water resource management.

Addressing concerns about the costs associated with irrigation schemes, which the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority estimates at around $40,000 per hectare, Prof. Kanton dismissed these concerns, pointing out that the government frequently spends far more on less critical projects.

“The money spent on frivolous things makes $40,000 for irrigation seem like chicken feed, as Kennedy Agyapong would say,” he added.

Source: Adomonline

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The annual spillage from the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso often results in significant damage to farms and properties, particularly affecting the Northern parts of Ghana, including the Upper East and North East regions.

Akudoku Jeremiah, a local farmer in Kubore, told Citi News on Tuesday that the disaster has rendered their months of hard work and effort worthless.

“This Bagre Dam water spillage has come and spoilt all our farms. They don’t inform us early and right now the crops too, it is time for us to harvest them and the water has come and destroyed them.”

“It brings a lot of problems to us especially the food that we have, something we can use to be feeding our family, the water has come and spoilt everything…So we are pleading with the government to come to our aid and help us. If not, we have nowhere to go,” he stated.

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