A Dam for Africa by Stephan F. Miescher - 9780253059970

A Dam for AfricaAkosombo Stories from Ghana\nAuthor(s): Stephan F. Miescher\nFormat: Hardback\nPublisher: Indiana University Press, United States\nImprint: Indiana University Press\nISBN-13: 9780253059970, 978-0253059970\nSynopsis\nSince its construction in the early 1960s, the hydroelectric Akosombo Dam across the Volta River has exemplified the possibilities and challenges of development in Ghana. Drawing upon a wealth of sources,A Dam for Africainvestigates contrasting stories about how this dam has transformed a West African nation, while providing a model for other African countries.\n\n The massive Akosombo Dam is the keystone of the Volta River Project that includes a large manmade lake 250 miles long, the VALCO aluminum smelter, new cities and towns, a deep-sea harbor, and an electrical grid. On the local level, Akosombo has meant access to electricity for people in urban and industrial areas across southern Ghana. For others, Akosombo inflicted tremendous social and environm.