Demand evidence, answers from government on one-village, one-dam; Bole MP tells electorate

The member of parliament for Bole constituency, Alhaji Sulemana Yussif has asked the people in the northern region to demand answers and evidence from the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) government as to where the much talked about one village-one-dam projects are, after almost two years in office.

The Bole MP was emphatic that the government has no financial muscle to carry out its much touted political promise which they use to hood-wink the Ghanaians electorate to vote them into power.

“Ask them where are they going to get money to implement the One-Village-One-Dam policy. They are shifting from position to another with nice excuses,” Alhaji Yussif told Zaa News.

The Bole legislator blamed the government’s inability to execute the policy to the raining season. It then promised the people in 2017 that it will construct 192 dams but again it has failed to keep its promise.

In the view of the opposition NDC MP, the government led by president Nana Akufo-Addo is buying time with their flimsy excuses which cannot be tolerated any longer.

According to him, he has monitored the policy implementation in his constituency and what he heard was that feasibility studies were going which he said was strange. He explained that Ghana Irrigation Authority has data of every area in the northern region fit for a dam but the government is not using the data.

The One-Village-One-Dam policy is one of the Akufo-Addo’s administration’s flagship programmes aimed at ensuring an all-year-round agriculture in the three regions of the north, through the construction of irrigation dams in every village.

Under the Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme in the 2017 budget, GHc94, 446,132 was earmarked for the One-Village-One-Dam policy.

One-Village-One-Dam policy forms part of President Nana Akufo-Addo’s key policy initiatives which are expected to cost over GHc2 billion.

The minister of Information, Mr Mustapha Hamid’s said that the government has started implementing its flagship program one village, one dam project promised in their 2016 manifesto for the North.

Mr. Hamid was debunking claims that government has not committed resources for the rolling out the one village, one dam policy as they have done with the Free SHS, saying the program is on course as old dams which could be potentially utilized for the program have all been desilted. “The dams are being constructed; the contracts are being awarded.”

“They are happening. They are being constructed in the Northern Region. It is being done. Those contracts have been awarded. Even in areas where there are old dams, the desilting has been done, so that is a project that is going on,” Mr. Hamid stated.

The Government’s spokesperson added that members of parliament in the northern region could attest to the fact that contracts for the one village, one dam have been awarded.

“Even in areas where there are old dams, the desilting has been done, so that is a project that is going on,” he stated.

The Government’s spokesperson added that members of parliament in the northern region could attest to the fact that contracts for the one village, one dam have been awarded.

Mr. Hamid, however, admitted that the implementation of the one district, one factory policy has delayed as a result of the public partnership component of the program.

Facts check on information minister claims 

However, Zaa News’ checks in the 28 districts in the region reveal that the information minister’s claims are true. Out of 300 villages in the northern region, only a handful of villages from the 28 districts are seen to be benefiting from the dams.

The villages are, Garishenu between Salaga and Makangu in the East Gonja district, Sampimo near Kpatinga in the Gushegu municipality where the contractor cleared the land and left. At Kpegu in the Kumbungu district, the assembly has expanded an old dam.

A resident told Zaa News the current stage of the dam cannot be used for the purpose because it’s too shallow. Chanzegu, Bihinaayili and Napagayili were among villages supposed to be benefiting from 1 village-1 dam.

At Tatale/Sanguli district, Zaa News checks indicated that work is about 80% complete on the Sachilbo-Nkpangini dam. Another village, Sheini, our checks reveal is expected to benefit the one-village-one-dam policy and work is yet to commence.

In Kpatinga in the Gushegu municipality a resident told Zaa News a contractor came to Sampemo village 3 weeks ago, cleared the land and left because the area was too muddy. According to resident, the equipment nearly sank because the site earmarked for the dam was muddy.

In the East Gonja District-Salga, construction of dam at the Garishenu village which is between Salaga and Makangu is at the knee level but the contractor had left the site. In the Nanumba North municipality, work is ongoing at Ganbuga village .