On November 29, 2019, the President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, cut the sod for the construction of the Pwalugu Multi-Purpose Dam Project.
The project which was expected to be completed in four years to control the perennial flooding in the Northern regions which is often caused by torrential rainfalls and the spillage from the Bagre Dam has halted.
The project, which is the single biggest investment ever made in the Northern part of Ghana, was awarded to SYNO-HYDRO Company Limited (a Chinese company ) is estimated to cost US$993 million and would consist of a Hydro-Solar hybrid system of 60 MW of Hydro Power and 50 MW of Solar Power to provide reliable electricity in the area.
But the contractor working on this hydro-power component of the project to supply the North East Region and the other four Regions of the North with stable electricity has evacuated from the site with their working machines and removed the site camp which they fenced at Kurugu in the West Mamprusi Municipality of the North East Region.
Meanwhile, one hip of quarry stones and some molded blocks can only be seen at the camp.
The project would also provide an irrigation system covering an area of Twenty-Five Thousand (25,000) hectares and improves water supply to the Northern parts of the country.
Meanwhile, the contractor working on this irrigation component of the project has not evacuated his working machines from the camp at Sariba in the West Mamprusi Municipality but work has been discontinued to see the completion of the project.
Speaking to some farmers in the North East region about the snail’s pace of the project which has now halted, the farmers say are disappointed about its progress.
“When they construct the Dam, the Dam will help us because the water will not come heavy like how it is coming like this. So when they construct it we will be able to take our farm products and send them to our houses and enjoy with our children. We are just peasant farmers so we are appealing to the government to help us with the Multi-purpose Dam to reduce our suffering," Alhassan Yaw said.
A 45-year-old farmer, Kwesi Inusah Sandow also lamented about how the dam can help them when completed but is currently halted.
"I was happy when you look at both sides of the Dam but they say they will drop. It has advantages and disadvantages. If you look at the advantage side, they say dry season time we can farm tomato, onions and other vegetables to get money. They say it will give us electricity too, so the Dam is good but some five communities will be affected because of relocation," Kwesi Inusah Sandow said.
Another young man also recounts his previous losses due to the absence of the Pwalugu Multi-purpose Dam.
"Every year we normally lose our sisters and brothers through the Bagre Dam spillage. If they can try their best and construct the Dam it will help us the farmers. So when the Burkina Faso people open the Dam, the water will come and remain in the Pwalugu Multi-purpose Dam so we are pleading with the government to try their best and do it for us," he appealed.
The farmers in the North East Region are therefore appealing to the government to release funds to the contractor to fast-track the construction of the Dam to boost agricultural activities.
The project has been halted due to alleged lack of funds