The Nadowli-Kaleo District Assembly in the Upper West Region, has handed over 7 sites for the construction of dams under the One Village One Dam programme.
The seven are among a total number of ten dams earmarked for construction under phase one of the programme.
The Nadowli-Kaleo District Chief Executive, Catherine Lankono, made these known in an interaction with the media after inspecting work on one of the dams at Biile, one of the beneficiary communities.
She said “the NPP government is fully committed to using agriculture to bridge the development gaps of this district. As we speak, construction works on seven of these dams have started. We will soon handover sites for three others. We hope that the first ten dams will finish before the first quarter of this year”.
Madam Catherine Lankono noted that the project is in line with government’s vision of ensuring food security, bringing prosperity to rural folks and transforming lives through agriculture.
She was particularly happy that the community will in the dry season make use of the dam to cultivate lands that could have otherwise become unusable because of the lack of water.
The DCE said the dam had come at a time when it is most needed and urged the community members to embrace the project to enable them engage in their farming activities all year round.
She further explained that when the project is completed, it will provide ready source of drinking water for livestock and also for construction purposes.
Madam Lankono charged the contractor to work on schedule to enable the community derive maximum benefits from the project.
The Assembly Member for the area, Edward Kanpki, commended government for the project.
He said the dam will help reduce rural urban drift among the youth in the area, as majority of them will be engaged during the dry season farming.
“Majority of us are into dry season farming and this project will help us to do more. The youth will no longer migrate down south for menial jobs such ‘Kayaye’ (head porters) which usually lead them into some social vices.”
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By: Mahama Latif | citinewsroom.com | Ghana | latif.mahama@yahoo.com
