Akosombo Dam

Akosombo Dam, a wɔsan frɛ no Volta Dam, yɛ hydroelectric dam (nwomso omhyɛ ban) a ɛwɔ Asuo Volta so wɔ anafoɔ fam apueeɛ Ghana wɔ Akosombo abo ntoroso (gorge) mu, na ɛyɛ Volta River Authority (VRA) no fa. Wɔsisii dam no maa Asuo Volta Basin no fa baa nsuo ase na ɛmaa wɔbɔɔ Asuo Volta (Lake Volta). Asuo Volta Tade ne nsukorɛbea a ɛso sen biara wɔ wiase a nyansafoɔ asie (man-made lake) wɔ ne mmeaeɛ so. Ɛkata 8,502 square kilometres (3,283 sq mi) so, a ɛyɛ Ghana asase so 3.6%. Ne nsuo dodoɔ yɛ cubic kilomita 148, na ɛyɛ nsukorɛbea a ɛso mmiɛnsa wɔ wiase a nyansafoɔ asie; nea ɛso sen biara ne Lake Kariba a ɛwɔ cubic kilomita 185 nsuo. Akosombo Dam dwumadie titire ne sɛ ɛbɛma omhyɛ ama aluminium adwuma. Wɔtoo Akosombo Dam din sɛ "sika a wɔde hyɛɛ Ghana atuho nhyehyɛeɛ mu a ɛso sen biara. Dam no yɛ ade titire ma ɛma Togo ne Benin omhyɛ dodoɔ no ara, ɛwɔm sɛ Adjarala Dam (a ɛwɔ Togo Mono River so) a wɔresisi no bɛma saa aman yi abrɛ wɔn a wɔde omhyɛ firi amannɔne so. Dam no omhyɛ a edi kan a na ɛtumi yɛ 912 megawatts (1,223,000 hp), nanso wɔmaa ɛkɔɔ soro kɔɔ 1,020 megawatts (1,370,000 hp) wɔ adwuma a wɔyɛeɛ de yɛɛ no foforɔ a wɔwieeɛ wɔ 2006 mu. Nsuyiri a ɛbɔɔ Asuo Volta no maa nnipa pii fii wɔn afie, na ɛmaa asase so nneɛma no nyaa nsunsuansoɔ kɛseɛ, a asase woso (seismic activity) a ɛde mpoano asase hwehwɛe (coastal erosion) baeɛ ka ho; nsuo dwumadie a ɛsesaeɛ de mframa ne osu sɛeɛ ne hyeɛ a ɛkɔɔ soro baeɛ. Asase a ɛatwa tade no ho nyɛ asase a ɛwɔ tade no ase no so, na akuayɛ a wɔyɛ dodoɔ ama wɔatumi de nnuo agu asase so, a ɛnso de eutrophication (nsuo mu nnuo dodoɔ a ɛsɛe nsuo) baeɛ, a ɛmaa nwura a ɛyɛ fɔ (Ceratophyllum) nyii yie, a ɛma nsuo so akwantuo yɛ den, na ɛma ntontom ne aboafowa (vectors) a ɛde nsuo mu yareɛ te sɛ bilharzia, asubɔnten anifira ne atiridii yɛ wɔn fie. Wɔsan kyekyɛɛ nnipa a wɔtuu wɔn kɔeɛ no, nanso ɛnyɛɛ yie wɔ mmeaeɛ pii; akuayɛ a na wɔyɛ dada no gyaee, na ohia kɔɔ soro. Sɛnea wɔsisi dam no Wɔdwene dam no ho wɔ 1915 mu, ɔbɔ fam nyansafoɔ (geologist) Albert Kitson na ɔdwene ho, nanso wɔanyɛ nhyehyɛɛ biara kɔsi afe 1940 mu. Wɔhyɛɛ Asuo Volta Basin nkɔso ho nhyehyɛɛ wɔ 1949 mu, nanso sika nni maa ɛno nti, Amerika adwumakuo Volta Aluminum Company (Valco) yɛɛ Ghana sika awiewie sɛ wɔbɛsi dam no. Ɔmanpanyin Kwame Nkrumah gye too mu na ɔhyɛɛ Asuo Volta hydropower adwuma no ase, na ɔhyɛɛ ɔstarefoɔ (architect) Kenneth Scott a ofiri Australia sɛ ɔntoɔ no dan a ɔbɛhwie n'ani ase afiri hɔ a ɛhwɛ dam no so. Dam no yɛ 660 m (2,170 ft) tenteɛ na ne tenten yɛ 114 m (374 ft). Ɛyɛ aboɔ ne bɔɔ mmorosoɔ dam. Ne ase tɛtrɛtɛ yɛ 366 m (1,201 ft) na ne nneɛma dodoɔ a wɔde sisii no yɛ 7,900,000 m3 (10,300,000 cu yd). Nsukorɛbea a dam no bɔeɛ, Asuo Volta, nsuo a ɛtumi fa yɛ 148 km3 (120,000,000 acre⋅ft) na ne mmeaeɛ so yɛ 8,502 km2 (3,283 sq mi). Tade no tenteɛ yɛ 400 km (250 mi). Ne nsuo a ɛkɔ sor sen biara yɛ 84.73 m (278.0 ft) na nea ɛtwa toɔ yɛ 73.15 m (240.0 ft). Dam no apueeɛ fam nkyɛn no, wɔwɔ akwan abien a wɔfa so gyaa nsuo ba fam (spillways) a wɔtumi gyaa nsuo bɛyɛ 34,000 m3/s (1,200,000 cu ft/s). Spillway biara wɔ nnade pon (steel floodgates) nsia a ne trɛw yɛ 11.5-metre (38 ft) na ne tenten yɛ 13.7-metre (45 ft). Dam no omhyɛ adwumayɛbea no wɔ Francis turbine nsia a ne biara tumi yɛ 170 megawatts (230,000 hp). Turbine biara, wɔde nsuo ma no fa penstock a ne tenteɛ yɛ 112–116 metres (367–381 ft) na ne kɛseɛ yɛ 7.2 metres (24 ft) a hydraulic head a ɛtumi kɔ sor sen biara yɛ 68.8 m (226 ft). Nhyehyɛeɛ a etwa to no kyerɛɛ sɛ wɔbɛsi aluminium (aluminum) smelter (adwuma a wɔtwa aluminium) wɔ Tema, na wɔasi dam wɔ Akosombo a ɛbɛma smelter no omhyɛ, na wɔato omhyɛ ntintim (power lines) wɔ anafoɔ fam Ghana. Smelter no na ɛbɛma wɔanya sika a ɛho hia sɛ wɔbɛsi bauxite adwuma wɔ ɔman no mu, na ama wɔatumi ayɛ aluminium a wɔnnɔ mfiri amannɔne. Aluminium adwuma a ɛrekɔ so wɔ Ghana gyina hydroelectric power a wɔhyɛɛ ho nhyehyɛeɛ no so. Adwuma a wɔhyɛɛ ho nhyehyɛeɛ no smelter no, Amerika adwumakuo Kaiser Aluminum na ɛhwɛ so, na Valco na ɛhwɛ so. Smelter no nyaa sika a wɔde hyɛɛ mu firi Valco ahokafoɔ (shareholders) hɔ, a Export–Import Bank of the United States boa wɔn. Nanso, Valco ammɔ nsa mmaa no, ɛnkane sɛ Ghana aban yɛɛ no apam a ɛmaa wɔn a wɔntua tow wɔn adwadeɛ so, na wɔtɔ omhyɛ no sika a ɛso. Sika a wɔde bɛsi adwuma no nyinaa yɛ dɔla ɔpepem 258 (US$258 million). Dam no Sisiiɛ Wɔ May 1960 mu no, Ghana aban frɛɛ sɛ wɔmma nkrataa a wɔbɛsi dam no. Wɔ 1961 mu no, Italia adwumakuo (consortium), Impregilo a na wɔawie Kariba Dam no, dii nkonim wɔ adwuma no mu. Wɔ 1961 mu no, Volta River Authority (VRA) a Ghana Mmarahyɛ Badwa hyɛɛ no ase denam Volta River Development Act a wɔgyee too mu so. VRA adwuma no yɛ adwumakuo no nyinaa a na ɛyɛ mmarima nsia a ɔmanpanyin Nkrumah yɛ wɔn panyin. VRA dwumadie titire ne sɛ ɛbɛhwɛ Asuo Volta Basin nkɔso, a dam no sisiiɛ, omhyɛ adwumayɛbea, ne omhyɛ ntintim a wɔde fa nkuro mu ka ho. VRA na ɛhwɛ nsukorɛbea a dam no bɔeɛ, apataam a ɛwɔ tade no mu, tade no so akwantuo ne nkitahodie, ne nnipa a wɔatwa tade no ho no yiedie. Wɔsii dam no ntam wɔ 1961 ne 1965 ntam. Ghana aban na ɛyɛɛ adwuma no, na 25% sika no firi International Bank for Reconstruction and Development a ɛyɛ World Bank no fa, United States, ne United Kingdom. Impreglio hyɛɛ asuo no mu dɔteɛ tuntum (dredging) ne nsuo no fa a wɔpae (dewatering) no, na wowiee dam no bosome biako ansa na ɛbɛyɛ sɛ wɔbɛwie, ɛwɔm sɛ Asuo Volta nsuyiri a ɛbaa 1963 mu no kyekyɛɛ adwuma no wɔ bosome mmiɛnsa mu. Wɔ 1961 ne 1966 ntam no, Impreglio adwumayɛfoɔ a wɔsii dam no mu aduonu awotwe (28) wuiɛ. Wɔasi nkaeɛ duma wɔ Akosombo kurow mu ne St. Barbara Catholic Church wɔ wɔn anuonyam. Akosombo Dam sisiiɛ no maa Asuo Volta Basin fa ne mfuo a ɛwɔ ne so kɔɔ nsuo ase, na wɔbɔɔ Asuo Volta a ɛkata Ghana asaase so 3.6% so. Asuo Volta Tade no baeɛ ntam wɔ 1962 ne 1966 mu, na ɛmaa nnipa bɛyɛ 80,000 fii wɔn afie, a na wɔyɛ ɔman no mu nnipa dodoɔ no 1%. Nkuraase 700 mu nnipa wɔtuu wɔn kɔeɛ kɔɔ nkuraase 52 a wɔsiesiee maa wɔn mfeɛ abien ansa na dam no bɛwie; VRA na ɛhwɛ atuo no so. Nnipa a wɔtuu wɔn kɔeɛ no mu abien (2%) na wɔyɛ asuo mu apataamfoɔ (fishers), na na dodoɔ no ara yɛ akuafoɔ a wɔyɛ nnɔbaeɛ ketewa. Ghana Eastern Region ne nnipa a wɔwɔ n'akyi no na adwuma no mmaeɛ no kaa wɔn kɛseɛ. Omhyɛ a ɛba Dam no ma omhyɛ ma Ghana ne n'Afrika Atɔeɛ aman a ɛbɛn no, a Togo ne Benin ka ho. Mfiase no, Akosombo Dam omhyɛ a ɛba no mu 20% (a na ɛma ɔman no yɛ 70%) a wɔde maeɛ no, na Ghana nyinaa na wɔde di dwuma, na ɛkaa 80% no, Valco na ɛnyaa. Ghana aban, denam apam so, wɔhyɛɛ no sɛ ɔntua Akosombo sisiiɛ sika no mu ɔfa (50%), nanso omhyɛ a ɛba no mu 20% pɛ na ɔman no tumi nya. Afoforɔ susuw sɛ eyi yɛ nhwɛsoɔ neocolonialism (neɔcolonism). Afei akyiri yi, Valco adwumabea no so omhyɛ a ɛba ase atwa, ama Akosombo omhyɛ no atumi asom ma Ghana ohia a ɛrekɔ soro. Mfiase no, dam no omhyɛ a ɛtumi yɛ no boro deɛ na ɛho hia; nanso ohia a ɛrekɔ soro nam Ghana nkɔsoɔ so ama omhyɛ ho hia ayɛ dodoɔ sen deɛ Akosombo omhyɛ adwumayɛbea no tumi yɛ. Wɔ 1981 mu no, wɔsii dam ketewa bi wɔ Kpong, a ɛwɔ Akosombo fam ase, na wɔmaa Akosombo dam no ho yɛɛ foforɔ sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a omhyɛ a ɛba no bɛtumi abɛn ohia no. Ohia a ɛrekɔ soro no boro deɛ ɛnneɛma a yɛwɔ seesei no tumi ma. Ohia, ne nsuyiri a wɔanhyehyɛ so, deɛnkyerɛnkyerɛ (rolling blackouts) ne omhyɛ gyaee (major power outages) ahaban ba. Wahu sɛ tade no mu nsuo so rekɔ fam, na ɛtɔ mmerɛ a ɛkɔ fam sen deɛ ɛho hia ma generators no tumi yɛ adwuma. Wɔ afe 2007 mfiase no, na adwene a wɔdwene ho na ɛwɔ omhyɛ a ɛfiri dam no ho, efirisɛ nsuo a na ɛwɔ Asuo Volta Tade no mu so ate. Wɔ afe 2007 akyiri fa no, saa adwene yi fa too mu bere a osu tɔɔ Asuo Volta beaeɛ a nsuo firi mu no so. Wɔ 2010 mu no, nsuo a ɛkɔɔ sor sen biara wɔ dam no mu. Eyi ma wɔbuee nsuo gyaa mu pon (flood gates) bere a tade no nsuo kɔɔ 84.45 m (277 ft) na mmere pii mu no, nsuo firii tade no mu gyaee, a ɛmaa nsuyiri kɔɔ fam ase. Mmaeɛ (Impacts) Akosombo Dam no boaa nnwuma ne sikasɛm adwumapɛn pii, te sɛ tade no so akwantuo, apataam a ɛdɔɔso, akuayɛ foforɔ a ɛwɔ tade no mpoano, ne nsrahwɛ. Abɔdeɛ mu nneɛma tebea Dam no wui akyi no, akuayɛ a ɛwɔ tade no ne n'asukɔ mmienu no ho atu mpɔn koraa. Asase a ɛatwa Asuo Volta Tade no ho nyɛ asase a ɛwɔ tade no ase a na wɔfuw no so no so. Akuayɛ a wɔyɛ dodoɔ no ama asase a ɛnni mu na ɛwɔ hɔ no nso asa. Asase a ɛwɔ tade no fam ase no nso nyɛ asase a na ɛwɔ hɔ no, na osu a ɛbaa fam no na ɛde nnuo ba fam no amma bio, efirisɛ dam no sii asuo a ɛte fam no kwan. Akuayɛ a ɛyɛ adwumaden no nso ama nnuo a ɛfiri fam gu asuo mu no dɔɔso. Eyinom, ne ntowa a ɛfiri ntakuo (cattle) ne fɛm (sewage) a ɛgu asuo mu no abom ama nsuo mu nnuo dɔɔso (eutrophication). Nnuo a ɛdɔɔso no, ne nsuo a ɛntena faako no abom ama nwura a ɛyɛ fɔ (Ceratophyllum) agu asuo mu. Saa nwura yi asi akwantuo a wɔde fa nsuo so no kwan den. Nnipa yiedie (Human welfare) Ceratophyllum a ɛwɔ tade no ne n'asukɔ mmienu no ama yareɛ a ɛbɛn nnipa no mpo ayɛ hu. Nwura no ma ntontom, ntaemoa, ne nsuo mu nwura (snails) a wɔde yareɛ te sɛ bilharzia, asubɔnten anifira ne atridɔ no nya wɔn tenabea. Wɔsi dam no akyi no, saa yareɛ yi ahyɛ dɔɔso. Nea ɛkyerɛ yie ne sɛ nkuraase a wɔtuu nnipa no kɔeɛ no mu, yareɛ ahyɛ dɔɔso fi bere a wɔbɔɔ Asuo Volta Tade no, na sɛ kuraa bi bɛn tade no a, ɛnna wɔn a wɔbɛnya yareɛ no dɔɔso. Mmɔfra ne apataamfoɔ na saa yareɛ yi kaa wɔn kɛseɛ. Nea ɛka ho bio, nsuo mu nneɛma a ɛsɛe ama nsuo mu nnuma te sɛ shrimp ne clam a wɔwɔ nsuo mu no asa. Saa nnuma yi maa nnipa a wɔtete hɔ no nyaa nam a wɔdi. Wɔn a wonni saa nam no no, wɔn nyarewa no amma wɔn yie. Bio, akuraa ne adwuma sikasɛm no nso atrɛw ɔpepe, efirisɛ nsuo mu apataam adwuma no a wɔhwɛ no yie no nsunsuanso bɔne abɛn wɔn. Ohia ne atuo tebea a ɛnyɛ papa a wɔde maa nnipa no maa nnipa pii tu fii wɔn kurow mu kɔeɛ. Saa atuo yi maa HIV kɔɔ Asuo Volta Basin mu mpɔtam no nyinaa. Manya Krobo ne Yilo Krobo akyi no, a ɛwɔ Asuo Volta Basin anafoɔ fam atɔeɛ no, na HIV wɔ hɔ pii. Nnipa a wɔbɛsii dam no no dɔɔso a wɔyɛ mmarima a wɔfiri baabi foforɔ bae no maa agyapadeɛ adwuma (commercial sex work) gyee wɔn so. Saa bere mu no, mmaa a wɔbɛbɔ mma no mu 10% firii Manya Krobo ne Yilo Krobo akyi kɔeɛ. Wɔ 1986 mu no, "Ghana AIDS yareɛfoɔ mu 90% yɛ mmaa, na wɔn mu 96% te amannɔne na wɔresan aba Ghana". Ntotoho