The field assessment came as a result of the low level of water into the reservoir of the dam due to deforestation of the forest cover along the Leeway to the dam.
The situation was inquired into by a community engagement with various stakeholders including senior government ministers, technical staff from different MDAs, Paramount Chiefs, the military, the police and the youth on the need to protect the surrounding environment of the dam.
Welcoming the delegation, the host Paramount Chief of Dansogoia Chiefdom, PC Alimamy Bockarie Yallam Koroma III thanked the government for its commitment to stopping illegal activities around the surrounding environment of the dam.
He also thanked the delegation for prompt visitation to the dam and called on government to examine the root causes of encroachment into the forest cover area of the dam.
He said the people of his chiefdom were ready to comply, adding that he took cognizance of key lacking components that posed significant threats to the dam which according to him was the logging of trees, illegal mining activities up the river and lack of security personnel among others. Sequel to this, he called on government to take appropriate actions to mitigate the perennial challenges surrounding the dam.
Addressing stakeholders, Prof. Foday M. Jaward intimated that the environment needed to be protected from all sorts of inhuman activities.
He said that cutting of trees would allow soil to erode into the river thereby contributing to low level of water into the reservoir. He said government had continued to demonstrate commitment to replenishing degraded areas across the country with tree planting.
He said that since the dam had faced potential threats due to deforestation, government would demarcate and embark on massive planting of trees along the Leeway of the dam with keen emphasis to increasing water level into the reservoir.
He added that the protection of the forest cover would enable the dam to sustain its high level of water for sustainable power supply for the people of Sierra Leone.
Concluding, he said government would consider alternative livelihood for farmers utilizing the leeway areas to subside soil erosion into the dam.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Plant Manager of Salini Impregilo, Mengeste Tadasse, said that every year there was high level of water into the reservoir but expressed dissatisfaction seeing low level or significant drop of water this year due to encroachment in the forest cover of the dam.
“The record of water level is 22.79 which signifies low water into the reservoir thereby constituting 32 megawatts currently recorded for output generation for electricity supply,” he said, adding: As the water level increases so does the output of the dam increases to generate high power supply.
He thanked also the delegation for their maiden assessment on the dam.
