Engineers present development proposals to SADA

The Ghana Institution of Engineers (GIE) has presented an infrastructure development proposal document to the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) for effective collaboration to bridge the development gap in the SADA zones.

The two institutions would be signing a Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) to serve as a working document that would guide the execution of the work plan, aimed at transforming the infrastructure and economic systems in SADA’s operational areas.

Ing. Magnus Lincoln Quarshie, President of the Ghana Institution of Engineers told the Ghana News Agency in Tamale on Wednesday after a meeting with SADA officials that, the proposal was comprehensive and covered three thematic areas that would meet the objective of the authority.

He said the GIE would be providing technical support to SADA in areas of infrastructure development and that the Institution as part of the proposal would be constructing 300-kilometer canals to stop the perennial floods by diverting floodwaters for irrigation purposes.

Mr. Quarshie stated that the collaboration would produce 270 million cubic meters of glue, which would be used to mould designer bricks for the construction of innovative flood resistant building structures at a cheaper cost.

Other areas of the proposal are irrigation facilities, water treatment and climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.

He said the projects were estimated to employ over one million people and noted that the savannah zone had arable land that must be turned into huge investment opportunities.

Dr. Emmanuel Abeere-Igna, Director of Integrated Programmes of SADA said the proposal was welcoming news and that the Authority was looking forward to signing the MOU in May this year, for effective collaboration.

He said SADA’s mandate included developing strategic planning guidelines, mobilizing resources and developing strategic infrastructure to get the private sector involved in its activities and explained that the involvement of the GIE was, therefore, in that direction.

Dr. Abeere-Igna said SADA was already in collaboration with the Volta River Authority (VRA) to construct the Pwalugu dam in the Upper East Region to provide irrigation and hydro-power and that preparations and documentations were almost complete for work to commence.

Dr. Charles Jebuni, Acting Chief Executive Officer of SADA said it was gratifying to collaborate with the GIE since it would provide mutual benefit especially to the country noting that the Authority was currently interested in investing in viable ventures.

He said SADA had been doing great things under the quiet and urged critics to endeavour to look for the positive side of the Authority instead of focusing only the negative side.