SONA24: GAWU disappointed in Akufo-Addo's no comment on Pwalugu Dam

The General Agriculture Workers Union (GAWU) says it is disappointed that President Nana Akufo-Addo failed to comment on the current state of the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam in the State of the Nation’s Address (SONA).

Mr Edward Kareweh, the General Secretary of GAWU, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview that the facility had been left unattended for years after the government had cut the sod to revamp it and promised to complete it in 50 months.

Mr Kareweh said the project should have been in the President’s address to Parliament on Tuesday.

Mr Kareweh wondered where there was also no disclosure on why the revamping of the dam had not seen any progress.

He said the union found it difficult to trust the government as it had failed to fulfil numerous promises he had made to the agricultural sector, which included the construction of additional irrigation facilities.

He mentioned that even though they acknowledge that it would be difficult to deliver all the promises, accountability was the key for the public to get to know and understand the issues on the ground to help them make informed decisions and choices; however, “nobody is accountable to us.”

He indicated that, “the record is not good about him delivering on his promises, he has promised a lot, but he has not delivered on them, we have also seen some of these promises he delivered but has not completed.”

He said a committee should have been put in place to fast-track accountability on the plans regarding the dam, which could be a source of huge investment for the country.

The General Secretary of GAWU lamented that the government’s commitment to agriculture had not been impressive as there were no results to support the claim of having impacted positively on the sector.

“We should not deceive ourselves that what has been stated will be done before the end of the year, when the president is exiting,” he stated.

GNA