The Upper East Regional Communications Director of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Peter Ayamga Ayinbisa, has accused the Mahama administration of sidelining victims of the annual Bagre Dam spillage and farmers affected by recent droughts in northern Ghana.
While the 2025 Budget Statement and Economic Policy provides compensation for tidal wave victims in the Volta Region and those affected by the Akosombo Dam spillage, Ayinbisa noted that no such provisions have been made for flood victims in the Upper East and North East regions.
He described the omission as discriminatory, questioning why over GH¢200 million had been allocated to support victims in the Volta Region while those in northern Ghana received no assistance.
“What of the Bagre Dam spillage in the Upper East Region? Every year, Burkina Faso spills the Bagre Dam, causing havoc in Bawku West, Talensi, and surrounding communities. Yet, the government is very quiet about us. Does it mean we do not matter?” he lamented.
Ayinbisa further criticized the government for failing to support farmers devastated by last year’s dry spell across the five regions of the north, which left many in financial distress and threatened food security.
“We’ve had NGOs like Citi TV step in to build houses, but what intervention has the government provided? Not even churches or mosques have been able to assist these farmers who lost everything,” he added.
He called for immediate intervention, including resettlement support and agricultural assistance, to help affected communities recover.
The annual Bagre Dam spillage causes severe flooding along the White Volta, affecting parts of the Upper East, North East, and Northern Regions. While the Pwalugu Multi-purpose Dam was proposed as a long-term solution, its construction remains unfulfilled.