Former Chief Executive Officer of the Volta River Authority (VRA), Ing. Kirk Koffi, has stated that no individual or institution should be held responsible for the catastrophic Akosombo Dam spillage of 2023, which displaced thousands across communities along the Volta River.
Speaking on with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Channel One TV, Ing. Koffi clarified that the dam’s spillage, which drew widespread public criticism, was driven entirely by uncontrollable natural factors, primarily unprecedented inflows caused by unusual weather patterns.
“No, no, it all depends… direct rainfall can impact what it comes from anywhere. It’s just a result of the inflow. You cannot hold them responsible because they would have died anyway,” Koffi said, responding to calls for accountability over the incident.
The 2023 event affected eight major communities, including Mepe, and raised urgent questions about disaster preparedness and dam management. However, Ing. Koffi defended the VRA’s actions, stating that the spillage was necessary to preserve the dam’s integrity.
“By September 2023, when we were to see a downward trend in the inflow, it picked up… Those who run the facility don’t bridge the dam; if you do, everybody downstream will go,” he emphasized, pointing to the difficult decisions engineers faced under intense natural pressure.
He praised former President John Dramani Mahama and current Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Jinapor, for initiating efforts to mitigate future disasters. According to Koffi, a committee has been set up to study the event and recommend long-term safety strategies.
“Thanks to President John Dramani Mahama for his vision and foresight, as well as Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Hon. John Jinapor, for setting up this committee two years after the event,” he said.
The former VRA chief urged Ghanaians to recognize the limits of human control in the face of climatic unpredictability, adding that future preparedness and resilient infrastructure would be key in preventing similar disasters.
