GIDA initiates steps to ward off encroachers on lands earmarked for irrigation schemes
The Ghana Irrigation Development Authority(GIDA) is taking inventory of all its land and site plan maps acquired for the various irrigation schemes in the country to provide fences around them to ward off encroachers.
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The measure has become necessary because some of the 191 irrigation schemes in the country are still grappling with encroachment issues which does not augur well for their smooth running.
The Acting Chief Executive Officer of GIDA, Richard Oppong-Boateng, made this known to the Daily Graphic during separate visits to the Weta and Okyereko Irrigation Schemes in the Volta and Central Regions respectively.
He said so far during his visits to some schemes at Dawhenya, Aveyime and Weta, encroachment had been cited as one of the challenges affecting smooth operation of the schemes.
“From this year we want to see how we can protect our lands and so at Dawhenya we have placed an advert calling on commercial farmers to come for the available lands while we are taking steps to fence the scheme lands" Mr Oppong-Boateng revealed.
He said starting from the Aveyime scheme, the area has been mapped out to provide fence stressing “we are giving them money to buy blocks and money to do excavation, pay for cost of labour and am sure in a month's time we should be able to fence the lands for the scheme.”
For the Weta scheme, he indicated that in a week's time something will be done and that the scheme managers have been directed to make a request to the head office for the provision of about 5,000 blocks and a quantity of cement bags to put up a fence to protect the lands acquired for the scheme.
“This is a warning to encroachers, without food we cannot survive and where it has been earmarked for housing that is where they should go but where it is earmarked for Agricultural purposes they dare not go there it will not be allowed" Mr Oppong-Boateng warned.
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Scope of work
Touching on the scope of rehabilitation and modernisation of the Weta scheme, he explained that repair works include removal of silt and clearing of vegetation from the dam slopes, crest, main canal outlets and reservoir; Installation of performance monitoring devices; automation of canals and intake gates; refurbishment of upstream concrete lining, guardrails and metal posts.
The work he said also included development of an estimated 400 hectares(ha) of additional lands for commercial farmers.
The extension of the main canal, construction of infield laterals, and other ancillary works will be done under the project.
Furthermore, he indicated that the reclamation of lowland area of about 200 ha affected by floods, rehabilitation of conveyance system, removal of tree stumps constitute other works.
The acting CEO indicated that refurbishment of canal turnout gates, provision of concrete lining/ pipe system for existing tertiary canals as well as drainage and road network are to be executed.
Solar systems to power the pump station and dewatering system will also be provided at Weta.
Okyereko
Similarly, he explained that for cost of production to reduce due to high energy costs , efforts are being made to secure hybrid solar systems to power the Okyereko scheme for higher productivity. At the moment he said the scheme pays on the average GH¢ 50,000 for power from the national grid every three months.
Challenges
The Acting Weta Scheme Manager, Samuel Ofori Kumi said farmers on the scheme need to be supported in the area of land preparation and provision of adequate equipment like power tillers, transplanters, levellers and tractors to cart harvested rice to the drying floors. The cost of fertilisers and other agricultural inputs, he noted are also high making total production costs for farmers unaffordable to them.
Other challenges affecting the smooth operation of the scheme, Mr Kumi explained include encroachment and flooding of portions of the irrigable land area of the scheme.
Appeal
The President of the Avalavi Women Rice Processing Association, Beatrice Avusuglo complained of high cost of farm inputs and appealed to the government and GIDA to ensure speedy rehabilitation of the scheme at least within one year to prevent it from collapsing thereby increasing rice yield.
Background
The WIS scheme was constructed in the late 1970s and located approximately one kilometre off the Accra - Aflao trunk road at Avalavi. It was developed by both the Russian and Chinese Governments. The WIS has two dams. The first dam which is the Agali dam was constructed in 1992 by the Russians and the bigger dam Kplikpa with a capacity of 31.4 million cubic metres of water was constructed from 1978 to 1982 by the Chinese government.
The Okyereko scheme on the other hand, was constructed in 1973 and located about 1.5 kilometres off the Accra-Winneba road.
The scheme consists of an earth dam with a catchment area of about 1,685 square kilometres and fed by the River Ayensu tributary.