Extend the Tono Irrigation Scheme to our area – Kologo Naba appeals to gov’t

The Paramount Chief of the Kologo Traditional Area, Naba Clifford Abagna Asobayire V, has appealed to the government of Ghana to extend the Tono Irrigation Scheme tothe rest of farming communities inhis area tomaximize agricultural activities.

Naba Asobayire said the area is blessed with arable lands and has the potential to grow food to feed the whole region but is currently unable to produce enough due to the lack of an all year irrigation system covering the entirety of Kologo.

He said the challenge coupled with the lack of some basic amenities has also made the area unattractive to Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) and individuals from the Agric sector who want to invest and expand farming activities in Kologo.

In a statement he read Friday, during a durbar of the Chiefs and people of the Kologo Traditional Area to climax activities of the Yesiga Festival, Naba Clifford Abagna Asobayire, speaking on the theme “Mobilizing all Human and Natural Resources of the area for the rapid Socio-economic development of the people – The role of the Traditional Council” passionately appealed to the government and stakeholders in the Agric sector to make serious efforts in extending the scheme to the rest of his area to boost food production and fully utilize the readily available human resources to propel development in Kologo.

“Kologo as a farming community is the bread basket of the municipality and has the potential to produce enough food to feed the whole Upper East Region and beyond if government and NGO’s in the Agric sector would invest in the area by extending the Tono irrigation scheme to cover the rest of the traditional area”

“The Kologo Traditional Area is endowed with vast human and natural resources which have not been fully tapped. There are sons and daughters of the land whose expertise have not been utilized to propel the development of the area. But with at least the extension of the Tono Irrigation scheme to cover all the communities in Kologo, some of the expertise and human resource will be put to use to develop the area”.

The Chief also appealed for the establishment of a Shea Butter processing factory, under government’s One District One factory program, to create market and job opportunities for the area which abounds in the raw material.

On education, Naba Asobayire urged government to consider the opening of a new senior high school to enroll the numerous junior high school graduates produced in the area yearly to enjoy the free SHS Policy.

He bemoaned the poor state of the Kologo Health Centre, which serves Kologo and surrounding villages, and appealed to authorities to upgrade it to the status of a polyclinic and resource it with additional staff to cater for the growing health needs of the people.

Another difficulty the chief mentioned is the 22km Navrongo-Kologo-Naaga road which has been given on contract. Naba Clifford Abagna Asobayire V, who commended government for giving it out for commencement of work, said its deplorable state requires quick and immediate intervention to improve transportation and open the area up for businesses.

He said the construction of the road will bring absolute relief to motorists and help improve access to health care in Navrongo and save lives during emergency situations.

He therefore urged government to quickly get the contractor, who has been awarded the contractto site to save suffering motorists from body pains and the respiratory-problem-causing thick dust.

He also hinted of plans to establish a development fund for the area, adding that funds will be used to undertake projects including supporting needy but brilliant students in school, the construction of a community library and the Police station project that has been initiated by the people.

“Mr. Chairman, a five-year development plan would soon be launched and proceeds in the form of donations, fund raising rallies and personal contributions from individuals and philanthropists would be paid into a development fund to be managed by trusted people in the community with integrity.

These funds would be used to finance a police station project initiated by the people, community library and scholarship for needy but brilliant students”.