The annual spillage of the Bagre Dam has once again turned deadly, claiming the life of a 55-year-old farmer, Baba Takwara, in the North East Region.
Takwara, originally from Kpasenkpe but farming in Yama near Walewale, drowned in the White Volta River on the evening of Monday, August 25, 2025. He had set out with ten other men to salvage his crops from rising floodwaters when the tragedy occurred.
Also Read: NPP expands Voter Register for January 2026 Presidential Primary
According to Jacob Nluki, Assembly Member for the Kpasenkpe Traditional Area, Takwara stayed behind to fetch water and food while his companions worked across the river. He never returned. A search party later discovered his body in the river. He has since been laid to rest in accordance with Islamic rites.
Nluki attributed the incident to the dangerously high water levels caused by the Bagre Dam spillage, stressing the persistent threat it poses to communities along the White Volta.
The Bagre Dam, located in Burkina Faso, plays a vital role in hydroelectric power, irrigation, and water supply. However, its controlled release of excess water—especially during the rainy season—often triggers severe flooding in Ghana’s North East, Upper East, and Upper West Regions. The floods routinely destroy farmlands, displace families, damage infrastructure, and expose residents to waterborne diseases.
On August 20, 2025, Burkina Faso’s national power utility, SONABEL, had warned of imminent spillage. In response, the North East Regional branch of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) advised farmers to quickly harvest their crops.
The death of Baba Takwara is a painful reminder of the recurring devastation the Bagre Dam spillage inflicts, underscoring urgent calls for stronger cross-border collaboration and disaster preparedness to protect lives and livelihoods.