Dig better dams for N/R farmers - Awudu Mahama to govt

Managing Editor of The Custodian Newspaper, Awudu Mahama, has called on government to focus on the proper digging of dams under its 'One Village, One Dam' project in order to benefit farmers, especially in the Northern Region.

He made this appeal on the Happy Morning Show’s ‘Editors’ Take’ session with host Samuel Eshun.

In his submission, he made known that the ‘One Village, One Dam’ project is a laudable initiative. However, farmers in the Northern Region can only benefit if the dams are dug in a way that is able to hold the needed water for irrigation.

“We only have one rainy season in the north unlike the southern sector that has two. One Village, One Dam was initially not part of NPP’s manifesto. It was out of a plea for a dam by one chief in the Upper East that moved the NPP to go for the catchphrase ‘One Village, One Dam.

"Over 560 contracts on the one village one dam were awarded. As we speak now, I am not sure the fully completed projects are up to 100. However, once you have a vision and you begin, there will be challenges but how you tackle this challenge or solve them is what your leadership is about. One Village, One Dam is a laudable initiative.

"What we need to focus on is how well the dams are dugout. This is because farming is very critical in the Northern Sector. We need to dig the dams to the extent that it can hold the needed water for farming,” he stated.

The construction of small earth dams across communities of the five (5) Northern Regions is the main project under the One Village, One Dam initiative.

The Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP) initiative seeks to provide all-year availability of water for smallholder farmers in communities, particularly in the five northern regions.