Government commended for keeping campaign promise

The Savannah Development Policy Think Tank has commended the government for keeping its electioneering campaign by initiating moves to construct 570 dams in various communities in the Northern, Upper East and Upper

West Regions.

The Savannah Development Policy Think Tank said “This singular act of keeping faith with people by ensuring that a campaign promise is realized is worth

commending.”

This was contained in a statement issued by the Savannah Development Policy Think

Tank signed by its Acting Executive Director, Mr Abu Kansangbata and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Tamale on Friday.

The New Patriotic Party, during the 2016 electioneering campaign, promised to construct dams in villages in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions in what has become known as the one-village one-dam initiative to support an all-year-round agricultural production.

Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, thereafter addressed the “Paarigbielle” Festival of the chiefs and people of the Tumu Traditional Area in the Upper West Region on Saturday March 17, 2018, and announced that all was set to begin construction of 570 dams this year in keeping with NPP’s campaign promise.

In its statement, the Savannah Development Policy Think Tank commended this move by the government saying “The people of the three northern regions will see massive improvement in agriculture as the dams will provide fertile grounds for farming all-year-round.”

It said the dams would also help boost the animal husbandry sector as farmers would now have the opportunity to raise more animals due to the availability of water through the provision of the dams.

It underscored the importance of the initiative to the people urging that it should not be left in the hands of politicians alone calling for involvement of all to ensure success.

The statement said “this, therefore, calls for the involvement of technocrats from all fields including the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Planning Officers of the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, Ghana Irrigation Authority and agricultural faculties of public universities” to ensure success.

It said “This will ensure the right approach in the implementation process together with the people as this will prevent the old fashioned top bottom approach and the much preferred down top approach”.

It urges all to take full advantage of the dams’ initiative to promote all-year-round agriculture.