The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has issued an urgent warning to residents and farmers living along the Black Volta basin to evacuate immediately, as the spillage of the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso is now set to begin earlier than expected.
In a statement released on Saturday, August 23, 2025, the authorities of SONABEL, the company managing the Bagre Dam, announced that rising water levels have forced them to move up the date of the annual spillage from Wednesday, August 27, to Monday, August 25.
According to SONABEL, the Bagre Dam currently stands at an elevation of 234.27 meters, representing 90.24% of its filling capacity, leaving it just 0.73 meters below its maximum retention level.
The Kompienga Dam, another key reservoir in Burkina Faso, has also recorded significant inflows, standing at 177.90 meters, or 79.36% of capacity, and 2.10 meters below its normal retention threshold.
The accelerated rise in water levels has been attributed to heavy and sustained rainfall in Burkina Faso and parts of northern Ghana, increasing the risk of widespread flooding downstream once the spillage begins.
NADMO cautioned that the annual controlled spillage, while necessary to prevent dam collapse, often brings devastating consequences to communities in Ghana. Past spillages have resulted in extensive flooding, displacement of households, destruction of farmlands, outbreak of waterborne diseases, and incidents of snakebites as floodwaters spread into settlements and farmlands.
“Given the urgency of the situation, NADMO is calling on all residents in flood-prone and low-lying areas, particularly farmers and fisherfolk along the Black Volta basin, to relocate to safer grounds immediately to avoid casualties,” the organisation stressed.
Meanwhile, regional NADMO offices in the Upper East, Upper West, Northern, Savannah, and Bono East regions have been placed on high alert, with emergency response teams mobilised to assist with evacuations and relief distribution. Local assemblies and traditional leaders have also been urged to support sensitisation efforts to ensure timely compliance with the evacuation order.
The Bagre Dam spillage, which has become an annual humanitarian challenge for Ghana, is closely monitored each year due to its recurring impact on livelihoods.
Authorities are warning that with farms currently in the peak of the growing season, the 2025 spillage could lead to significant agricultural losses unless preventive measures are taken.
