<<Print>>

Work is scheduled to start in two weeks on a new multi-million cedi, dual-purpose Irrigation dam at Adzonkor, in the Agotime-Ziope District of the Volta Region. The state-sponsored project, said to be a life transforming one, with huge economic benefits, would provide water, all-year-round, for 70 acres plus of vegetable fields, mainly. The dam, to be completed within 18 months, would also serve as source of water for domestic use, especially in the dry season, for about 60 communities in the area. Adzonkor is located westwards from Ziope towards Akatsi. Michael Kobla Adjaho, Agotime-Ziope District Chief Executive (DCE) described the project as �a dream come true,� saying, it would replace a smaller dam in the area, which collapsed more than decade ago. He was speaking at a pre-project commencement, at Adzonkor, involving community leaders, consultant and contractor for the job, political leaders, and officials of the Ministry for Food and Agriculture (MOFA). Mr Adjaho said after the failure of a Community-Based Rural Development Project (CBRDP) bid for the dam, new efforts were made, including the thorough evaluation of prospects, which resulted in the government accepting to fund the project. He said the dam, to be constructed on the River Lator, would benefit communities, strategically located between two big markets- Akatsi and Ho. Mr Adjaho said on the completion of the road linking Ziope on the Aflao-Ho Highway to Akatsi on the Aflao-Accra Highway, an Adzonkor-Accra vegetable market highway was imminent. The DCE said there was the potential also of the dam becoming a tilapia hub, recalling that proceeds from fish harvested from the collapsed dam, under his leadership as Assembly Member for the area, funded the clinic there. He said the dam was indeed an agro-business turnaround time for the area. Grumah Twins Company is the Contractor for the job and the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA), the consultant. Stephen Maclean, a Deputy Director at GIDA, said the project design was solid and expressed the hope that a good job would be done. Dela Honu, Project Manager, appealed to the community to cooperate with the contractor and be hospitable to the workmen and women who would stay among them.