1V1D: I’m satisfied with work done – Hawa Koomson

The Minister of Special Development Initiative, Mavis Hawa Koomson has said that despite some challenges, she is generally satisfied with the earth dams being built in the northern part of Ghana to serve as a source of water for farmers all year round under the One Village-One Dam project of the Akufo-Addo administration.

Currently, 300 of the 560 dams are under construction in various hamlets in northern Ghana. Each costs GHS250,000.

Mrs. Koomson and some government officials recently inspected some of the dams at Tempane in the Upper East Region where 83 of the 150 earmarked for the area, are at different stages of completion.

She told journalists that the construction of the dams is ongoing and “we are about between 80 percent [and] 90 percent completion”.

“The spillways, embankment and grazing and other ones will sum up to 15 percent to 20 percent to make up the 100 percent that we want the project to be completed”, she added.

According to her, “We have seen the phase one of the projects. There was a lot of water in most of the dams but others did not have water because of the rainfall pattern.

“I am satisfied with work done so far and by the time these are completed with the whole features of the earth dam, everybody will realize that it is something that needed to be done. So, I am satisfied for now even though it’s not completed”.

Speaking about payment of the contractors working on the dams, the minister said: “These contractors have not been given their money. The Ministry does not give mobilization, contractors will do the work and when we are satisfied, they then raise certificates for payment.

“Some have not even received a pesewa yet, even though the money is GHS250,000 and that is why work on these [earth dams] are delaying and, so, most of them are waiting for their payment to continue with the rest of the phases”.

Recently, there were claims that some of the contractors were doing a shoddy work, which prompted Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to issue an order that no contractor should be paid until their works have been passed as quality.