IDA to research into viability of Tamne Irrigation Project

Garu Tempane (U/E), Oct. 26, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Monday said the Irrigation Development Authority (IDA) would research into the viability of the Tamne Irrigation Project in the Upper East Region.

President Kufuor was responding to an appeal by the Bawku-Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka II at a durbar of the chiefs and people of the Bawku Traditional Area at Garu-Tempane on the second-day of President Kufuor's three-day official tour of the Region.

He addressed similar durbars at Zebilla in the Bawku West District and in the Bawku Municipality.

The Bawku-Naba Azoka had appealed to the government to implement the project that would boost dry season farming to increase food production and reduce the level of poverty and seasonal migration in the area.

He said series of dams could be constructed under the project or a very large dam that could provide potable water for Garu-Tempane District and the Bawku Municipality.

President Kufuor said the Government would consider the inclusion of onion and sheanut production grown mainly in the area in the President's Special Initiative (PSI), He appealed to the chiefs and people to be united and to maintain the peace to utilise the enormous socio-economic potentials in the area for development, adding, "allow the Government to work for Bawku to assume its responsible role".

President Kufuor appealed to the chiefs and people in the Region to renew his mandate and elect competent parliamentarians to assist in the second tenure of office of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). The Bawku-Naba commended the Government for the numerous development projects in the area and the creation of the Garu-Tempane District.

He appealed to politicians to concentrate on issues that impacted positively on the lives of the people as a nation during the campaign. "Decency and decorum should be the watchwords on our political platforms", he said.