200 Dams to Be Completed in 2019 – Koomson

As part of the 1 Villag 1 Dam initiative, the Minister of Special Development Initiatives, Mavis Hawa Koomson, has revealed that over 200 hydro dams will be completed next year in fulfillment of the government’s promise of constructing a dam in each farming hamlet in northern Ghana.

Addressing the media at the Information Ministry in Accra on Tuesday, 13 November 2018, Ms Koomson explained that the projects were at various stages of completion, and will be ready for use by the communities for agricultural and individual purposes within next year.

President Nana Akufo-Addo, during the 2016 election campaign, promised to build a dam in farming villages of the three regions of the north, via a well-planned irrigation policy.

He said a robust irrigation policy of ‘One Village-One Dam’ will make Ghana grow crops all year round and eventually become a net exporter of most foodstuffs.

His deputy, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, also said that the country’s agricultural sector is key to national development, noting that: “It is an engine of growth to move our economy beyond aid.”

“It is, therefore, fundamental to boost agricultural productivity to achieve sustainable industrial and agribusiness development as a means of wealth and job creation.

“Consequently, our government has placed a renewed emphasis on the agriculture sector, pumping in many resources into the sector to facilitate rapid integration into global and regional value chains,” he said.