River-god Stops $2m Project

Ghana is at the verge of losing a $ 2million donor-sponsored project because the �Tindana�, custodian of the Vea Dam in the Upper East region says the river-god is not happy with the project. The $2 million project, sponsored by the Nordic Development Fund, is to rehabilitate the Vea/Gowre Dam in the Upper East region as all indications show that the dam is at the threshold of drying up. Midway into the project, the Tindana ordered the contractors, Eunitack Services Limited, to stop work immediately or face the wrath of his deities and the youth of the area. �The problem is that this is a donor funded project for Ghana and if we do not complete the work by December, the money goes back to the sponsors. This Vea Dam is what supplies water to the Ghana Water Company at Bolga for them to treat and supply to the entire Bolga residents. The Dam is at the verge of drying up and this is a national issue we must all help solve,� Thomas Peprah Manu, Project Manager for Vea Dam rehabilitation told DAILY GUIDE. As it stands now the project cannot continue and Ghana will lose as the project fund will return to the donors in a month�s time. Mr. Peprah Manu lamented that all attempts to get the authorities to intervene to make the Tindana understand the need to save the dam has proved futile. The Project Manager said his Company had contacted the Upper East Regional Minister, the Bongo District Chief Executive, the Assembly Member for the area and all relevant authorities but to no avail. �We even went to the Chief of Vea, Naba Thomas Azubir II and he asked that we pay him some compensation. We have paid him and provided money to perform all the required customary rites. We have met all the conditions they asked for including employing the youth of the community to work with us so as to enable them earn some income, we have initiated measures to remedy any possible damage that may result from the project work. We have also pledged and indeed put in place measures to replenish any portion of the land that may be affected by the project since we would be blasting some rocks to use for the work, yet after meeting all these conditions the work has come to a halt because of the Tindana�, Mr. Peprah Manu explained. Meanwhile Daily Guide has sighted copies of documents permits from the Minerals Commission, Ghana Water Company Limited, and the Vea Chief given to Eunitack Service Limited to carry on with the project.