Vea(UER), Sept. 08, GNA - The Chief and people of Vea near Bolgatanga on Friday urged Government to rehabilitate the Vea dam to save it from collapse.

Naba Thomas Azubire, Chief of Vea, who made the appeal in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said the dam had never been rehabilitated since it was constructed about 35 years ago. This, he said, had caused siltation and reduced the capacity of the dam to hold water for longer periods.

Naba Azubire said more than 2,000 people could be engaged in farming at the dam site, thereby reducing unemployment and curbing the migration of the youth from the area to the south in search of jobs. "The Vea Dam area could serve as the food basket of the Upper East Region if given the needed attention," he said, adding that Government should commit resources to the development of the dam. In a related development, Mr John Akaribo, outgoing assemblyman for Nyariga Electoral Area, has expressed similar views regarding the Vea dam project.

He urged Government to give special attention to the rehabilitation of the dam that also served as the main source of water supply to the Bolgatanga Municipality. Speaking to the GNA in Bolgatanga on Friday, Mr Akaribo attributed the phenomenon of rural-urban migration to the absence of job opportunities, especially in the three northern regions. Mr Akaribo appealed to Government to speed up work on the revamping of the Pwalugu Tomato Factory and the Zuarungu Meat Factory near Bolgatanga to generate employment for the youth. 08 Sept. 06