320 dams earmarked for development; 192 more in 2018

President Nana Akufo-Addo has revealed in his Farmer’s Day speech that 320 dams and dugout sites in 64 districts in the northern part of the country have earmarked for development.

In addition, the President, speaking on Friday, said 192 more dams and dugout will be evaluated in 2018 for development.

“I can report that 320 small dams and dugout sites in 64 districts, in the northern part of the country, have been earmarked for development,” he said/
He added:”Additionally, 192 will be evaluated in 2018 for development there.”

According to him, “a provisional list of 51 dams in Volta, Greater Accra and Central Regions has been submitted for consideration for rehabilitation.”

The move to build dams and dugouts for all year round farming is a campaign pledge by President Akufo-Addo in the 2016 polls.

President Akufo-Addo said a water transmission project, to distribute water from rivers Oti, the Black and White Volta to communities for productive cultivation will begin next year and will bring up to 90,000 hectares under irrigation.

Implementation of an agricultural programme, he added, with the help of multilateral partners, will potentially also bring about 1,732 hectares of land under irrigation through solar pumping from rivers, sinking of boreholes, rehabilitation of existing irrigation schemes, and construction of new ones.