Peasant farmers call on government to pay attention to Vunania and Gia dams

Mr Wepia Awal Adugwala, the National President of the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), has called on the government to as a matter of urgency reconstruct the Vunania and Gia Dams.

He said the dans needed to be reconstructed properly to make them fit for purpose.

Mr Adugwala was speaking at a National Stakeholders Dialogue on Irrigation Development in Ghana. The dialogue presented research findings on the One Village One Dam (1V1D) Initiative using the Vunania and Gia Dams in the Upper East Region as case studies.

It also formed part of the activities under the Sustainable Employment through AgriBusiness (AgriBiz) Project in Ghana funded by GIZ. 

The Project trajectory is to focus on advocacy to improve irrigation development in Ghana with particular attention to the government’s irrigation programmes through the 1V1D Policy. 

As part of the activities, the Association assessed the various stages during the construction of the two Dams and the experience and evidence to proffer solutions for improved irrigation development.

He said if these Dams were properly constructed, particularly in northern Ghana, it would be the surest way to fight endemic poverty and inequality in those areas. 

“These Dams will also encourage farmers, particularly women and the youth to go into all year-round crop production for Jobs and wealth,” he added.

He said studies had shown that there was a positive relationship between access to irrigation, increased income, and food security. 

The National President said while they acknowledged the effort of the government for the conceptualization of the One Village-One Dam initiative as a way of making water available for farming and domestic activities, “we would like to state that more needs to be done in terms of irrigation in this country.”

He said the Upper East region was one of the regions in northern Ghana that benefited from the 1V1D Projects by the government.

However, a few of the Dams are not serving the purpose for which they were constructed. 

Mr Adugwala said the Gia Dam in the Upper East region, which was constructed in 2019 under the 1V1D project currently had several defects and showed a flat valley with pockets of water in the deepest part, clearly defeating the purpose for which it was constructed.

He said again shortly after the construction of the Vunania Dam, it was bedevilled with massive water loss among other defects. 

Source: GNA

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