Govt considering converting Kamba dam into irrigation project

Nandom, Nov 30, GNA - Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama on Sunday said government was seriously considering the proposal to convert the Kamba dam in the Upper West Region, into an irrigation project to boost agriculture there.

He said the government was making efforts to source funding for the project, which was estimated to cost 60 million dollars.

Vice President Mahama said these when he joined the chiefs and people of the Nandom Traditional Area to commemorate their "Kakube" festival to climax his three-day working visit to the region.

The people of Nandom traditional area celebrate the festival annually to mark the end of the harvest season by either jubilating over good harvest or mourning over poor produce.

The celebration also promotes tourism and foster friendship between the people of the area and visitors.

Vice President Mahama said the irrigation project if executed, would facilitate agricultural activities, help reduce poverty among the people and also check the rural-urban drift of the youth.

He said the government would spend a total of 13 billion cedis on the rehabilitation of roads in the Nandom township and other roads linking the town to Lawra and Hamile in the Lawra and Jirapa Lambussie districts.

Alhaji Mahama said 25 communities have been provided with boreholes whilst plans were advanced to provide the Nandom township and its environs with small pipes.

He said the Electoral Commission was carrying out feasibility studies on the creation of new constituencies in some parts of the country and that the Nandom area was being considered in the exercise.

Mr Sahanun Mogtari, Upper West Regional Minister, said the Regional Co-ordinating Council would organise a bi-annual investment fair to show case the region's tourism potentials to the outside world.

Naa Poure Puobi Chiir, Paramount chief of Nandom the Traditional Area, commended the government for undertaking numerous development projects in the area. Dr Benjamin Kunbour, Member of Parliament for Lawra, who also attended the festival promised to donate sporting equipment to the youth in Lawra and Nandom to help them to unearth their sporting talents.

During the three-day tour by the Vice President, he visited some communities in the five districts of the Upper West region and interacted with the chiefs and people there.

He also inspected and commissioned a number of development projects in the region and explained topical issues and government's development plans for the region to the people.

Professor Kassim Kassanga, Minister for Science and Environment, Mr Sahanun Mogtari, Upper West Regional Minister, Alhaji Mogtari Bamba, deputy Minister for Presidential Affairs and Mr Moses Dani Baa among other officials accompanied Vice President Mahama on his tour.