Wa, April 5, GNA - Plan Ghana is constructing four dams at a total cost of 9.6 billion cedis as its contribution towards the provision of irrigable facilities for dry season agricultural activities in the Sissala East and West districts.

Work on the dams, which are almost completed, are located at Kupulma, Nimoro, Zini and Bonti.

Mr Amadou Bocoum, the Country Director of Plan International, said this when he called on the Upper West Regional Minister, Mr Ambrose Dery at his office during a working visit to the region on Tuesday. He also announced that contracts would soon be awarded for the construction of three more dams at Jefisi, Tiwir and Nimati in the Sissala districts.

Plan Ghana, which was currently engaged in the two Sissala districts was, extending its activities to 60 communities in the Wa Municipality, Wa East and West districts, where it had started identifying the needs of the people in order to draw a plan of action for their adoption, the Country Director added.

He said the Sissala Youth Association had approached his organization for assistance to establish a Community Radio station at Tumu and that request was being considered.

Mr Dery noted that the long dry season in the region was contributing to acute poverty, and therefore pleaded with Plan Ghana to extend its dam projects to other districts in the region in order to stem the seasonal migration of young people from during that period. He also called for the establishment of micro credit schemes to help women, who formed the most stable segment of the region's population to improve their incomes.

Mr Dery appealed to NGOs to take a critical look at the water problem in the Wa township, saying although it was an urban centre, it had rural characteristics with only 12 per cent of its population having access to safe drinking water.