Akufo-Addo cuts sod for $993m Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam

The project, according to President Akufo-Addo, “will be the single, largest investment ever made by any Government in the Northern sector of the country”, and is in fulfillment of a pledge he made to the Ghanaian people on February 21, when he delivered the Message on the State of the Nation.

“I’m delighted to be here today to cut the sod for the construction of the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam and Irrigation Project which upon completion would be the single largest investment ever made by any government in the northern sector of the country.

“It is in fulfilment of the pledge the New Patriotic Party made to the Ghanaian people. For us in the governing New Patriotic Party, we do not renege on our promises; we keep them. And I’m proud to belong to such a party,” the President said on Friday as a section of the crowd at the sod-cutting ceremony applauded.

The project, pegged to cost $993 million, is said to be the single largest investment ever made by any government in the north.

The Pwalugu Multipurpose project will consist of three main components, namely the construction of a 60 megawatt hydropower plant; a 50 megawatt solar farm; and the establishment of an irrigation scheme covering an area of some twenty-five thousand (25,000) hectares.

Additionally, the irrigation component of this project, the largest ever built in the country, with 15,000 out-grower beneficiaries, the President added, will complement the gains made by programmes such as ‘One Village, One Dam’ and ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’.

It is in fulfilment of a campaign pledge made by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) prior to the 2016 elections.

Present at the ceremony were Vice President Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Minister of Energy John-Peter Amewu, Upper East Region Minister Tangoba Abayege, North East Region Minister Solomon Namlit Boar and Chinese representatives.