He said such support would facilitate all year-round faming within the Gia community and the Kassena-Nankana Municipality among others, which would also help protect the Tono water resource.

Pe Balinia expressed worry that Gia and other communities whose lands covered the largest portion of the Dam in Tono lacked irrigation facilities despite being noted for producing the best vegetables in the Region including tomatoes, garden eggs, lettuce, cabbage and pepper.

The chief made the appeal during the sod-cutting ceremony at Tono for work to begin on new transmission pipelines and treatment plants for raw water intake from the Tono Dam for the Upper East Region.

He said: “Since the Dam’s aim is to provide treated and safe drinking water and promote irrigation activities, I will plead for boreholes and  sprinkler irrigation in the dry season…”Pe Balinia called on the President to assist the farmers to farm all year round to make enough revenue to take care of their families and improve their living conditions.

He commended the Government for the water project, which would lay a solid foundation for economic development in the Upper East Region.  The Paramount Chief reiterated the significant role the Tono Irrigation Dam played in reducing poverty, improving the nutritional needs of the Region, especially of children and women, and enhancing incomes of farmers.

He said the project, when completed, would bring a lasting solution to the water challenges in the area.“With enhanced safe drinking water, our health needs will also be  improved and productivity will be improved as well,” he added.