Pwalugu multipurpose dam: NPP is a promise-fulfilling party - Akufo-Addo

President Akufo-Addo has officially opened the toolbox for construction work to start on the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam with a strong remark about his political party as one which will never fail to deliver on its promises.

“I’m delighted to be here today to cut the sod for the construction of the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam and Irrigation Project which upon completion would be the single largest investment ever made by any government in the northern sector of the country.

“It is in fulfilment of the pledge the New Patriotic Party made to the Ghanaian people. For us in the governing New Patriotic Party, we do not renege on our promises; we keep them. And I’m proud to belong to such a party,” the President said on Friday as a section of the crowd at the sod-cutting ceremony applauded.

The construction of the dam comes with a number of benefits which the public already had heard about from energy experts through the press long before President Akufo-Addo arrived Friday morning in the Talensi District to lay the foundation block. But, then, the President drummed it home further:

“Ladies and gentlemen, you would recall that on the 21st of February, this year, when I delivered a message on the State of the Nation to Parliament, I indicated that government was putting in place plans to avert the perennial flooding caused by the spillage of the Bagre Dam, which has resulted in constant loss of lives and destruction of property in the northern sector over the years.

“The Pwalugu Multipurpose Project will consist of three main components. One, the construction of a hydropower plant. Two, the construction of a solar farm. And three, the establishment of an irrigation scheme covering an area of some 25,000 hectares. The 60-megawatt hydropower plant and the 50-megawatt solar-power plant will be the very first hydro-solar hybrid system in the country.

He added: “I stated that the construction of the dam at Pwalugu would serve as a reservoir to hold the large volumes of water spilled from the Bagre Dam for irrigation purposes and for the generation of electricity and would be the permanent solution to the problem of spillage from the Bagre Dam. Today, we begin the process of realising this pledge. Today, we start the process of helping to bring respite to the people of the northern regions of our country.”

Upper East is grateful to Akufo-Addo for Social Interventions— Regional Minister

The Upper East Regional Minister, Paulina Patience Abayage, also addressed the crowd, touting some interventions she said the Akufo-Addo Administration had made and for which, according to her, the region was grateful to the President.

“I cannot help but use this opportunity at the instruction of my people to show deep appreciation to His Excellency the President for many other policies, programmes that are equally transforming social and economic state of the region. The Upper East is currently in the news for good reasons. We have had a positive food balance sheet of more than 158, 633 tonnes of rice and other staples, galvanising a groundswell for Ghana to eat made-in-Ghana rice.

“Mr. President, thank you for the successful implementation of the Planting for Food and Jobs Programme and the Special Rice Initiative. This region was a proud recipient of about 1.5 million kilogrammes of subsidised, assorted fertiliser and 31,690 bags of improved seeds. There is no need to panic as government is undertaking the construction of 9 warehouses with a capacity each of 1,000 metric tonnes in the region to store excess produce. And I am happy to announce that most of these projects are more than 95% complete,” she stated.