A former Deputy Minister of Information has called on the government to admit to failure in the implementation of its flagship programme, One-Village One-Dam.
According to Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, evidence of what has been done so far suggest that rather than a Dam in every village in Northern Ghana, government has only provided ponds for few communities.
“They are not dams, they are ponds or dugouts,” he said on Joy News’ Newsfile, a current affairs and news analysis programme Saturday.
Mr. Ablakwa told show host, Samson Anyenini, the failure to keep this campaign promise has had a telling effect on the many poor communities in northern Ghana whose livelihood depends on the availability of water for farming purposes.
The ‘ponds’, which the former Deputy Education Minister maintained is most of the time dry, has not only infuriated members of the community where it has been done but have now become a death trap to families, especially children.
“I must commend Joy FM for the documentary you put out. The chiefs you interviewed, there is one chief who said when he is riding his bicycle around where the Dams are located he does not want to look in that direction because it is an insult to him. They have even become death traps. Not long ago a schoolboy was drawn in it,” Mr. Ablakwa said on Newsfile.
