Members of Bongo-Tankoo Noyine Co-Operative Farmers Society Limited (TANDA) have expressed concern about the lack of commitment of the Bongo District Assembly to complete a dam it started in the area in 2003.

The farmers expressed the concern at a press conference held at Tanko in the Bongo District on Wednesday with support from the BUSAC Fund.

“We have been reminding the Assembly year after year about the abandoned dam but it shows no concern about it. This situation is denying many farmers the opportunity to farm and earn income during the long dry season”, Mr Alfred Asebila, Coordinator of the group, said.

According to the group, a procurement schedule for the construction of the dam was supposed to start May 09, 2002 and the project completed on July 03, 2003.

Mr Asebila said with support from BUSAC Fund, a research conducted in the community showed that a greater proportion of the economically active population was available for farming and had also expressed the fullest interest in it.

The research also revealed that 90 per cent of the community members rely on farming as their major occupation.

Youth migration was found to be a common phenomenon in the community due to lack of meaningful employment opportunities, especially during the long dry season.

The research also revealed that there was a high level of community members’ awareness about efforts previously initiated by duty bearers towards the provision of an irrigation dam.

Community members cited design works, marking out and erection of pillars at a site in the community which according to them had since been abandoned.

Community members said they were willing to offer support towards any effort by either duty bearers or donors for the construction of an irrigation facility in the community in the form of financial, materials and communal labour.

Mr Francis Akugre, a member of the community, said the absence of the facility was affecting the majority of the youth since most of them had not been to school and depended on farming, adding that another challenge was how to get water for their animals to drink.

“We cannot rear animals on a large scale for trading since there are no sources of drinking water for them. We are therefore appealing to the District Assembly and other stakeholders to come our aid”, Mr Akugre said.

Mr Ernest Beyuo Aayel, BUSAC Fund provider, appealed to the District Assembly and other stakeholders to assist the community with an irrigation facility.