Volo irrigation scheme in V/R abandoned following activities of criminals

A GH¢1.4 million irrigation scheme at Volo in the North Tongu District in the Volta Region has been abandoned following activities of some criminals in the area.

The criminals have succeeded in stealing electricity cables which supplies power to the irrigation facility where water is tapped from the river (Volta) and pumped into a reservoir for irrigation purposes.

Irrigation facility

The idle pump station

The facility, which was completed in August 2016 and partially handed over to the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA), comprises a pumping station and a reservoir with 13 canals that can irrigate about 86 hectares of arable land.

The other two irrigation projects in the area are the Agorveme and Afawode schemes constructed at a cost of GH¢ 2.4 and GH¢ 2.6 million respectively to promote an all year- round production of cereals such as rice and maize, as well as vegetables.

The three projects were funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) through a Northern RuralGrowth Programme (NRGP).

Event

This came to light last Thursday when the Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Letsa, together with officials of the GIDA, handed over the facilities to the beneficiary communities at a durbar at Dofor Agorveme.

He entreated the farmers, particularly the youth, to put the irrigation facilities to good use by increasing their production.

According to him, agriculture was a priority of the government, for which reason a number of interventions had been put in place to increase productivity and ensure food security in the country.

Arrest

The Regional Manager of GIDA, Mr Joseph Nartey, said some suspects involved in the theft had been arrested by the police and arraigned.

He added that the authority was in talks with the Electricity Company of Ghana to restore power supply to the facility for it to resume operations for the benefit of
beneficiary farmers.