Sites for the construction of dams in eight farming communities in the Kasena-Nankana Municipal and West District of the Upper East Region under government’s ‘One Village, One Dam’ policy have been handed over to contractors for work to begin.
The Assemblies are to benefit from a total of 20 dams but eight have so far been approved and the construction companies which are expected to complete work in four months, will from the coming weeks move to sites with all resources to begin work in all communities.
In the first batch of the dams for the Assemblies, six will be built in the Paga-Chiana area while the Navrongo Central constituency takes two.
In the Kasena-Nankana West District, Construction Company, Time Line Company Limited will handle projects in the Paga-Sakaa, Kazugu, kuliyaa, Kajelo, Katiu-Saa and Kayoro communities.
During a working tour of the areas to introduce the contractor to the communities, the District Chief Executive of the area, Gerard Ataogye said the implementation of the policy in the district was in fulfillment of government’s commitment in ensuring food security and improving the lives of people in farming communities through agriculture.
The DCE said the dams were coming at a time when they were most needed and urged the people to embrace the project to enable them engage in their farming activities all year round.
He recounted how the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was mocked by opposition parties when the policy was introduced in their campaign in the run up to election 2016 and said its achievement will silent those who had doubts about the policy.
Mr. Ataogye appealed to land owners to release lands that have been captured in the project, ensuring them of government’s readiness to make full compensation to them.
“Most of you have begun complaining about your lands that have been taken up for the project. Yes, we are aware they are your property and you are looking forward to receiving some compensation. I want to make the assurance that whoever has had their land taken will be duly compensated,” he affirmed.
In a related story, the Member of Parliament for Navrongo Central and Minister for Aviation, Joseph Kofi Adda has handed over sites for the construction of two out of the 10 dams allocated the Navrongo area.
At a brief ceremony to officially unveil the contractor to community members at Pungu-Dembasinia and Azaasi where the dams will be sited, Mr. Adda entreated chiefs, elders and members of the two communities to give the contractor the necessary support to execute the task timely and effectively.
He further asked the people to continuously have faith in the New Patriotic Party, saying “the NPP government you entrusted power to will work effectively to transform this community and every other community in this constituency”.
Mr. Adda concluded his short address with assurance to the people of Pungu-Dembasinia and Azaasi of his allegiances to complete all projects in the community ithat have stalled.
“I have heard your cry for the extension of electricity to these areas and I want to assure you that very soon, the contractor will move into the area to assess the situation and begin work. Plans are also underway to fix the broken boreholes here (Pungu-Dembasinia). A lot more other boreholes will be sunk soon”.