Probe Ohawu Dam Rehabilitation Project – ACEP Tells AG

The Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) has called on the Accountant General to probe the Annual Budget Funding Amount disbursed for the rehabilitation of the Ohawu Irrigation Dam project.

The project, according to the policy think tank, has been abandoned since 2016, with only 60 percent work done, hence the need for an investigation.

Addressing stakeholders at a forum in Accra yesterday, Linda Ahunu, a Policy Analyst at ACEP, said “Work had been halted due to water seepages into the dam wall at the time of our visit in 2016. When we visited again in June this year, we realized no work has been done on the Ohawu project since January 2016.”

She disclosed that her interaction with the constructor in charge of the project, revealed that the project had been halted due to some funds he has not received from the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA).

The Ohawu dam, located in Ohawu, a rural community in the Volta Region, was constructed in the 70s.

The project provided employment and additional income for the people in the community, where those employed earned incomes ranging from GH¢200.00 to GH¢600.00.

However, it became malfunctioned when the dam wall collapsed.

Mrs. Ahunu hinted there is likely to be a disaster, as seepages and other structural defects, including visible cracks in the dam wall keeps compromising the integrity of the dam.

According to her, the challenges would have been prevented if GIDA had taken measures to ensure evaluation of rehabilitation works was well done.

She recommended that the ABFA disbursements should be made to projects that have been assessed to guarantee high economic, social and environmental benefits to the communities where projects are allocated to.

“As much as possible, broader consultations should be held with the communities for whom projects are designed. This will increase value and utility of projects funded by government,” she stressed.

She also called on GIDA to “put up appropriate mechanisms to ensure its evaluation of irrigation projects is prudently done and credible for successful implementation of projects.”

By: Emmanuel Yeboah Britwum