THE AKOSOMBO DAM
The first thing to do upon arriving at the Akosombo Township
is to look for the Dam site, the educational center where schools, companies
and institutions visit to learn the history of the Dam and have fun, Akosombo
is located in Akwamuland of the Eastern Region of Ghana. Legend has it that the
name “Akosombo” was derived from an Akan word “Nkonson-konson-bo” meaning a
chain of rocks. And it is not surprising that visitors to Akosombo will find
the township surrounded by mountains that virtually form a chain around the
township. . The town is located north east of the capital, Accra. The river on
which the dam is built can be described as a conglomerate of three rivers; the
Black, White and Red Voltas.
Akosombo bridge |
For many centuries the Akwamus primary used the river for
transport and fishing until that changed in 1915. Upon the discovery of bauxite
in the Gold Coast in 1915 by Sir Kitson, an Australian geologist, it was
realized that to start any meaningful bauxite industry in Ghana, there was the
need to look for an abundant and cheap source of power. Upon careful research
of the country, it was concluded that the gorge south of Adena would be the
ideal location for the siting of a hydro-electric dam since the drop in the
gorge provided the perfect gradient.
The project did not start immediately until after
independence in 1957 (although plans for its development were drawn in 1940)
when Ghana’s first president Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah in his quest to push
forward his agenda of industrialization of Ghana pushed for the construction of
the dam. He implemented the Volta River project which not only included the dam
but the establishment of an aluminum smelter at Tema to make use of the excess
power. The contract was awarded to an Italian company Impregilo and work
started in 1961 and was completed in 1965.
The dam is 114 feet high embankment dam built on solid
igneous rock basement. It is 2170 feet long and 1210 feet wide. The maximum
height from its foundation is 374.00 feet and the height at axis from bedrock
is about 364.17 feet. The maximum operating water level is 278 feet and minimum
level is 240 feet. The lake formed beyond the dam is about 400 kilometers long
and it is the largest man-made lake.
Thanks to Osagyefo Dr
Kwame Nkrumah, the man who fought for independence for Ghana and has left
behind much in our memories, He will forever be reminded for his good work
done.