Sites for dam construction have been given to contractors for the construction of seven small earth irrigation dams in the Upper West Region, where farmers have appealed for dams to venture into dry season farming.

Minister of State at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Dr Gyiele Nurah, handed over the documents, which paved way for the starting of the dams estimated between GHC2 million and GHC2.5 million each.

The dams are expected to be completed in eight months under the One Village One Dam (IVID) policy of government launched in 2018 to enhance dry season farming in northern Ghana.

The Upper West Region would get seven out of the 14 small irrigation dams earmarked for construction across northern Ghana under the Government’s pro-poor policy of 1V1D.

Beneficiary communities of the dams include; Tokuu and Tuopare in Nandom District, Kataa and Duose in Wa East District, Degri in Wa West, Sentu in Lambussie District and Duong in Nadowli-Kaleo District.

The contract for both Tokuu and Sentu dams was handed over to Akabi Company Limited who was given eight months period to complete construction works on two dams.

Addressing the Chiefs and people of Tokuu, Dr Nurah, noted that small-scale dams were possible where there are streams and rivers that flow through villages in the raining season.

“But where there is no stream or river, bigger dams would be the alternative way of collecting and storing rain water for dry-season farming,” he added. He said the transformational economic agenda of President Akufo-Addo to extend pro-poor policies to every part of the country that are underprivileged would be provided with dug-outs.

He later continued to Guo community dam in Nandom District constructed in 2008 to inspect an irrigation mechanisation project.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA), Mr Wilson Dankwa, refuted popular claims that government was constructing dug-outs instead of dams.

He said small-scale dam projects under the 1V1D were on-going in several parts of northern Ghana and that the 14 dams to be handed over for construction by GIDA was to supplement government’s commitment to construct dams in villages.

The District Chief Executive (DCE) of the Nandaom, Mr Thadeus Arkum Aasoglenang, said majority of residents were farmers and that timely intervention of the dams would promote agriculture and domestic activities.

He urged the contractor to speed up construction works as the rain season was fast approaching.

He pleaded with the Minister of State to make fertilizer and farm implements readily available to farmers to boost production.