By Murtala Issah
The Northern Development Forum has appealed to government to show commitment and prioritise the construction of the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam, which was initiated nearly sixty years ago.
The project, which is expected to benefit over four million people and significantly contribute to the transformation of Northern Ghana, has seen no major construction work since President Akufo Addo cut the sod nearly 36 months ago.
Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia recently revealed that lack of funding was the cause of the delay in the construction of the dam. Over the weekend, he announced that, government was seeking funds from the World Bank to complete the project. However, the Northern Development Forum believes government is not giving the project the needed attention.
At a News Conference in Tamale on Tuesday, the Chairman of the Northern Development Forum, Major Albert Donchebe (Rtd.) wondered why government has redeployed the contractor working on the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam to a new government project.
“Where did the government find money for this new project when it could not find money for the “single largest investment in Northern Ghana” which would change the lives of over four (4) million people in that catchment area?” he queried.
The Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam, when completed, will provide water for the irrigation of 25,000 hectares of land by gravity and about 40,000 hectares through pumping.
Experts project that the project will contribute to a reduction in the importation of rice by 17 percent and maize by 32 percent. leading to huge savings in scarce foreign exchange and further strengthening the cedi. Other crops like onions, tomatoes, watermelon, etc. would also be produced in commercial quantities.
The Northern Development Forum is therefore urging government to fulfill its promise to the people of Northern Ghana by finding money to complete the project.
