The National Democratic Congress has become aware of an official government statement authored under the above caption and signed by Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah in reaction to our statement entitled: “AKUFO-ADDO’S DECEPTIVE ONE VILLAGE, ONE DAM INITIATIVE – A CASE OF CAUSING FINANCIAL LOSS TO THE STATE”.
We find it rather unfortunate, that the Information Minister, who is entrusted with the responsibility of explaining government policies in a truthful manner, will throw honesty to the dogs, and seek to parry legitimate public concerns over a failing government policy in such a flippant manner. However, in his indecent haste to defend the indefensible, Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has further reinforced the deceitful nature of the Akufo-Addo government.
WHAT ARE THE ISSUES?
1. Hon. Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah claims that the 1V1D in its current messy state is “a solution to the irrigation challenges of the northern regions”, and that the previous NDC administration offered no credible responses to the people’s request for dams.
What Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah fails to appreciate is that, the people of northern Ghana, and the Ghanaian people for that matter know what a small-scale irrigation dam looks like when they see one.
If we may ask, what is a dam? Simply put, a dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of water to provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, aquaculture and navigability.
Even if we consider the above literal meaning of a dam, what this Akufo-Addo government has attempted in parts of northern Ghana which they call dams, are anything but dams.
What Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah is inviting us to celebrate is that, when a government goes to dig a pond, and in the raining season, water is collected into those ponds, that government can claim to have constructed a dam, and therefore deserves plaudits. At best, these can be described as dugouts or excavated ponds. And yet, these are the exact nature of the dams that Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah trumpets as an achievement.
Contrary to this celebration of mediocrity by the Akufo-Addo government, the previous NDC administration under President Mahama constructed and rehabilitated several small-scale irrigation dams across the country. For instance, under the Ghana Social Opportunities Project (GSOP), over 86 small-scale irrigation dams were constructed and rehabilitated across the country in 2016 alone. Also, the Mahama Administration constructed real irrigation dams in places such as Zakpalsi and Sakpe in the Mion Constituency, the Tamne Dam in the Garu District which is expected to create 5000 jobs and irrigate about 3,250 hectares of land, just to mention a few. These were well-designed and constructed dams by the Mahama administration, worthy of small-scale irrigation dams that can be used for dry season farming.
Additionally, the Mahama-led administration refurbished irrigation schemes such as the Tono, Vea and the Kpong left and right bank, developed about 3,625 hectares of irrigated land, rehabilitated irrigated areas of 8,044 hectares and introduced the centre pivot irrigation system.
Also, in 2015, the then cabinet approved a new policy to allow private sector firms to manage public funded irrigation schemes, which policy essentially opened up the irrigation space. To further introduce more dynamism, the Water User Association LI 2033 was passed by Parliament to help regular…
*Source: ghanawish.com
