One billion dollar project: Who is committed to constructing the Pwalugu multipurpose dam

In the early 1990s, the Volta River Authority (VRA) began conducting feasibility studies on potential hydro sites in the White, Black, and Oti River Basins.

It was in the White Volta Basin that the concept for the Pwalugu Dam was conceived.

In 2013, there was a renewed effort to advance the construction of the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam. According to the VRA, with financial support from the Agence Française de Développement of France and technical support from the World Bank, a feasibility study and an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) were initiated for the construction of a Multi-Purpose Dam and Irrigation Scheme. The VRA completed the feasibility study in 2018 and moved on to the implementation phase of the project.

The primary components of the project include:

– A dam with an elevation of 165 meters near the Pwalugu Bridge on the White Volta River, with a maximum reservoir area of 350 km².

– A powerhouse consisting of two turbines with 60 MW of installed capacity and 16.5 MW of firm continuous capacity.

– An irrigation scheme featuring a 12-meter high weir and a canal network (main, primary, secondary, and tertiary canals) for approximately 25,000 hectares of land.

The project area is located on the White Volta River in Ghana, about 16 km east of the Pwalugu Bridge on the main Tamale-Bolgatanga road. The White Volta River at the dam site marks the boundary between the Upper East Region and the North East Region.

Coordinated operation of the Pwalugu Dam with the Bagré Dam upstream in Burkina Faso and with the Akosombo and Kpong dams downstream is crucial for effective river basin management. The dam will be a central roller-compacted concrete structure combined with earth and rock fill on the banks.

The dam is expected to serve as a major irrigation scheme for farmers, contribute to the national electricity grid, and help manage water collection and flood prevention from the perennial Bagre Dam spillage.

Cutting sod

On 29 November 2019, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, cut the sod for the construction of the Pwalugu multipurpose dam project.

The project was initially expected to be completed within four years. At the ceremony, the president stated, “This is in fulfilment of the pledge the NPP government made to the people; we do not renege on our promises, we keep them.”

Since the groundbreaking ceremony, however, progress at the site has been minimal. This has generated concern among residents of the Upper East Region, particularly during periods of excessive rainfall when the White Volta River overflows its banks. The situation has been exacerbated by spillage from the Bagre Dam.

Ahead of election

As the election approaches, the people of the Upper East Region are demanding clear commitments from the two leading candidates: Vice President and Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mahamudu Bawumia, and former President John Dramani Mahama.

Bawumia’s story

In November 2022, three years after the groundbreaking, the Vice President admitted at the launch of the Northern Development Authority’s five-year strategic plan in Tamale that the project had stalled due to funding issues. “Even though the project is facing financial challenges, we are determined to find the resources to complete the construction of the dam,” he said.

Later, in Bolgatanga, Upper East Regional Capital, Dr. Bawumia remarked, “The Pwalugu Dam project is one that I believe the World Bank should take a key interest in, along with other development partners. The government is facing financial challenges, as many countries are at the moment. But we want to make sure this project is completed. I just want to put it on the table that we will be discussing this project further with you [Country Director of the World Bank, Pierre Frank Laporte], so that we can see to its construction.” This statement was made during the launch of the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion (SOCO).

Bawumia has reaffirmed his commitment to the project on several occasions. “I want a Ghana where we attain food security through the application of technology and irrigation for large-scale commercial farming. We will also promote the use of agricultural lime to reduce soil acidity, enhance soil fertility, and increase yields from fertiliser application. Ghana has an abundance of limestone for this purpose. I will prioritise the construction of the Pwalugu Dam by leveraging private sector financing to attract grant funding,” he stated during a speech on “Ghana’s Next Chapter: Selfless Leadership and Bold Solutions for the Future” on February 7, 2024, in Accra.

“I have no doubt that I am championing the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam, and by the grace of God, we will complete it,” Bawumia said during a meeting with religious leaders in Bolgatanga as part of his campaign tour in the Upper East Region in May 2024.

“I want to construct the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam project. I will ensure its completion. Under my administration, the Bolgatanga Airport will also be constructed,” the Vice President reiterated in July 2024 during his return to the Upper East Region for campaigning.

The most recent commitment from Bawumia came during a media engagement in Accra.

Mahama’s story

Bawumia is not the only candidate promising to complete the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam. In August 2024, former President John Dramani Mahama criticised the payment of nearly 12 million dollars for which no physical work had been completed, pledging to complete the project if elected.

“We didn’t start it because we were unable to secure dedicated funding. For a project like this, funding must be continuous until its completion. When the new government took over, they started it and cut sod in 2019,” he said.

“They claimed it would be funded from the Government of Ghana (GoG) budget, which I knew would be problematic. A nearly $1 billion project funded from the GoG budget is bound to face the issues typical of projects dependent on the consolidated fund, and that is exactly what happened. Unfortunately, it has resulted in significant financial loss, as almost $12 million was spent with no work done. Someone must be held accountable for this financial loss. However, it is a project worth pursuing, and we intend to continue it,” Mahama stated.

Political crossroad

The New Patriotic Party believes that the only way to complete the dam is through a strong electoral mandate from the Upper East Region.

Peter Ayinbisa Ayamga, the Upper East Regional Communication Director, told Asaase News, “The Vice President has stated a number of times that he is absolutely committed to the project.”

Ayamga acknowledged that COVID-19 had negatively impacted the project’s progress. He expressed optimism about the ongoing search for funding, stating, “I am confident that this will be taken seriously and completed.” He also voiced scepticism about Mahama’s promises, saying, “The former president’s words cannot be trusted.”

Meanwhile, Jonathan Abdallah Salifu, the Upper East Regional Communication Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), argued that “the NPP, led by Akufo-Addo and assisted by Dr. Bawumia, has failed us. Nearly $12 million has been spent with no work done, which shows a waste of resources.” He pointed out that Mahama’s past efforts to secure funding from the World Bank under SADA were unsuccessful, implying that Mahama might be a better bet for the Upper East Region.

Conclusion

The completion of the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam is of great importance to the people of the Upper East and North East Regions.

Both leading candidates have expressed their commitment to the project. Voters will need to choose between Mahamudu Bawumia of the NPP and John Dramani Mahama of the NDC to determine the future of the project.

Reporting by Mark Smith in the Upper East Region

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