The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has announced the government’s grand plan to terminate the contract awarded for the construction of the Pwalugu Dam.
This revelation came during an interview with journalists after a rather enlightening three-day tour of various departments and agencies under the ministry.
Back in 2019, the government started a $993 million contract to build the Pwalugu multipurpose dam in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region. The project was anticipated to showcase a hydro-solar hybrid system boasting 60 MW of hydropower and 50 MW of solar power. Most crucially, it was meant to absorb spilt water from Bagre to tackle the never-ending flooding issues up north and enhance irrigation—because that’s what we’ve all been waiting for.
However, as the proposed 2024 completion date has come and gone, the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA) has revealed that a total of $12 million has been spent on mobilisation and project site development, yet construction remains a distant dream.
When asked about the next steps for the project, the Agric Minister stated, “What we will do is terminate that contract immediately. We’ll terminate the Pwalugu contract, search for a contractor, seek funding, and then promptly ensure execution of the contract.”
When warnings were raised regarding a potential judgment debt stemming from the cancellation of this contract, the Minister reassured everyone that due diligence would be exercised during the cancellation process. “Before we terminate, we’ll refer it to the Attorney General’s department for his advice. But fret not, we are determined to ensure that the Pwalugu project sees the light of day. And I can guarantee you, it’s going to be John Mahama’s signature project in the North,” he assured, with all the confidence of a government official with a plan.
Reporting by Stephen Freeman, Accra.
