Mr Mahama Salifu, Project Manager of the Vea Irrigation Project in the Upper East Region, has appealed to government to as a matter of urgency, rehabilitate the canals and laterals of the multi-purpose water facility.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency after a visit to the project site, Mr Salifu indicated that since the establishment of the project in 1965, it had not seen any major repairs.
He said as a result, most of the canals and laterals had broken down and could not convey water from the main dam to farms, stressing, “water pumped from the main dam often leaked as a result of the broken down canals and laterals and do not get to their destination.”
This, he indicated, affected dry season farming which farmers depended on during the dry season.
Mr Salifu pointed out that nine communities namely Vea, Nyariga, Bongo, Bolgatanga, Zaare, Dindubisi, Yikine, Gowrie and Sumbrungu as well as people outside the area came to farm in the project area.
He indicated that even though government had pledged to rehabilitate the dam after finishing its sister project at Tono in Navrongo, it had delayed and things could be worse if immediate steps were not taken to repair the facility.
Mr salifu said the project was divided into two including the low lands area for rice and fish farming and uplands for tomato farming, soya beans, cabbage and pepper among other vegetables.
He observed that the area was also used to cultivate crops such as millet, groundnuts and that it had greater potential for growing sorghum which was in high demand by many brewing companies.
Mr Salifu indicated that the dam was established to play dual role by providing water for irrigation farming and for human consumption and said it supplied water to the major parts of the Bolgatanga Municipality.
He said other farmers were busily engaged in fish farming in the area and said such farms could be extended if the dams, canals and laterals were rehabilitated.
He said if the facility was given the needed attention it would provide employment to the teaming youth that government was encouraging to go into farming.