Government of Ghana has reacted to claims by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) who accused them of causing financial loss to the state by constructing ‘excavated ponds’ disguised as dams under the One Village, One Dam project.

The opposition party in a press release issued by the National Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi said government’s 1V1D promise is deceptive and was only intended for electoral gain and not really meant to be fulfilled.

Responding to NDC’s statement, Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah urged Ghanaians to disregard the opposition party’s usual propaganda as their only aim is to dent the image of the current administration without providing solutions to problems.

According to the Minister, 300 dams are under construction, out of which 99 percent of the projects are proceeding without incident so he's baffled the NDC is only focused on the 1.3 percent which has recorded some challenges.

Oppong Nkrumah revealed that “Currently, 300 dams are under construction. 4 out of the 300 dams, representing 1.3%, are the only ones to have recorded challenges. These include ongoing works at the dam at Kajelo in the Kassena-Nankana West District which was damaged by unexpected rainfall. The damage has since been rectified. It is these 4, that the NDC (which continuously fails to provide alternative solutions to the irrigation challenges up north), suggests are evidence of a failed program which has caused financial loss to the State. About 99% of the projects are proceeding without incident”.

The Minister said government has taken note of the opposition’s attempts to persistently vilify national programs in a bid to downplay the benefits of such programs to Ghanaians.

Comparing achievements of both parties, Oppong Nkrumah purported that “Unlike the opposition party’s administration of the past, whose claims of investing in northern Ghana through projects such as the guinea fowl project (which was non-existent at the end of their tenure), the 1V1D Program will remain visibly on- ground and will serve the people well once completed and handed over”.

He further questioned if the NDC ever responded to cries of the people in northern Ghana when they requested for dams to support their farming.

Assuring Ghanaians of the Akufo-Addo-led administration in delivering on all of its flagship programs, Information Minister advised Ghanaians not to fall prey to NDC’s propaganda and further advised the NDC to “propose alternative programs and desist from their usual propaganda aimed at running down government programs.

“Ghanaians are once again urged to disregard the usual propaganda and casting of aspersions on national programs from the NDC, while it offers no credible alternatives to tackling the challenges of our people. The Implementers of the program are guided by the remarks of the President to ensure value for money", he said.

Read below the full statement

99% OF 1V1D PROJECTS WITHOUT INCIDENT. STOP THE PROPAGANDA!

The Akufo-Addo administration takes note of attempts by the opposition NDC, to continuously disparage national programs, in their bid to downplay the benefits of such programs to the Ghanaian people.

The latest is the claim by the NDC that the One-Village-One Dam Program is a deceptive exercise.

The Administration reminds the opposition that:

1. During the tenure of the NDC, the Mahama administration offered no credible responses when the people in the beneficiary communities requested for dams to support their farming. In the 2016 electioneering campaign, the NDC again offered no credible response when requests were made for dams. The current 1V1D Program is a solution to the irrigation challenges of the northern regions. The NDC will be best served if they provide alternative programs to tackle the irrigation problems of the beneficiary communities rather than the usual resort to name calling.

2. Currently, three hundred (300) dams are under construction. Four (4) out of the three hundred (300) dams, representing 1.3%, are the only ones to have recorded challenges. These include ongoing works at the dam at Kajelo in the Kassena-Nankana West District which was damaged by unexpected rainfall. The damage has since been rectified. It is these four (4), that the NDC (which continuously fails to provide alternative solutions to the irrigation challenges up north), suggests are evidence of a failed program which has caused financial loss to the State. About 99% of the projects are proceeding without incident. Some of the projects have already started serving the beneficiary communities well. Seventy (70) of the dams in the Upper East Region will be available for use before the peak of the rainy season. The remaining dams are expected to be completed after the rainy season. Therefore, the claim that only forty (40) dams have so far been constructed is another one of the usual falsehoods the NDC often attempts to feed the Ghanaian public with.

3. With reference to the model of the dams being constructed, it must be noted that the beneficiary communities in requesting for the dams did not request an Akosombo-like type of dam. The model and specification of dams requested for under this Program are the exact type known to the people in the beneficiary communities. The development conforms with the same technical, security and financial benchmarks for dams of this nature;

• Each dam covers a land area of 2 hectares.

• The earth embankment wall has a maximum height of 5m.

• The depth of the small dam is also 5m.

• The length of the embankment wall ranges between 250m and 350m.

• The width of the embankment wall is 4m.

• At the central part of each dam is a dugout, which is the depression or the inner chamber of the dam. This depression has the size of 80 × 50m with depth of max 2.5m tapering to zero at the shallow end.

• Each dam when completed is estimated to contain in excess of 30,000 cubic meters of water when full; enough to serve the purposes of the beneficiary community during the dry season.

It is also instructive to note that, A DUGOUT or EXCAVATED POND as the NDC would like to describe the 1V1D dams, does not have similar features as outlined above.

4. Additionally, the claim that financial loss has or will be caused has no basis. No contractor has or will be paid without delivering equivalent value. The 1V1D Program has a strong monitoring framework in place to ensure that the specifications are adhered to.

5. Unlike the opposition party’s administration of the past, whose claims of investing in northern Ghana through projects such as the guinea fowl project (which was non-existent at the end of their tenure), the 1V1D Program will remain visibly on- ground and will serve the people well once completed and handed over.

Conclusion

Ghanaians are once again urged to disregard the usual propaganda and casting of aspersions on national programs from the NDC, while it offers no credible alternatives to tackling the challenges of our people. The Implementers of the program are guided by the remarks of the President to ensure value for money.

The Akufo-Addo administration will remain focused in delivering on its flagship programs including Free SHS, 1D1F and Planting for Food and Jobs. The NDC is advised to propose alternative programs and desist from their usual propaganda aimed at running down government programs.

Signed,
KOJO OPPONG NKRUMAH (MP)
MINISTER