The Minister for Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku, has made a firm commitment to ensuring the completion of the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam project, which has remained in limbo despite the previous government’s initial financial commitment.
Addressing concerns over the stalled project, he vowed to terminate the existing contract and seek new funding and contractors to deliver on the critical initiative.
The Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam was originally awarded at an estimated cost of GHS 993 million (approximately $1 billion) with a projected five-year completion period.
The ambitious project according to him, was designed to address three fundamental national concerns: providing irrigation facilities for farmlands, generating hydroelectric power to supplement the country’s energy supply, and mitigating the recurring destructive effects of the Bagre Dam spillage.
Despite the previous government’s commitment to the project, Hon. Opoku revealed that the contractor had failed to commence work after receiving a partial mobilization fee.
“Some almost 12,000,000 dollars was paid, but no work was done, and it’s like the contract is in limbo. What we will do is to terminate that contract immediately. We’ll terminate the probable contracts, look for a contractor, look for funding, and then immediately ensure the execution of the project.”
Hon. Eric Opoku, Minister for Agriculture
Judgment Debt Concerns
When questioned about the potential for judgment debt arising from the termination of the contract, the minister dismissed such concerns, arguing that the contractor had failed to fulfill their contractual obligations.
“What judgment debt are you talking about? A contract has been awarded; however, the contractor has failed to work. He was supposed to mobilize to the site, and he didn’t go to the site.
“So what judgment debt are you talking about? Anyway, before we terminate, we will refer to the Attorney General’s Department for advice before the contract is terminated. But we are prepared to make sure that the Pwalugu project is executed”.
Hon. Eric Opoku, Minister for Agriculture
Hon. Opoku emphasized that the project remains a top priority for the government and assured that it will be executed under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama, whom he described as fully committed to the initiative. “I can assure you that it is going to be President John Dramani Mahama’s signature project in the north,” he declared.
The revelation of the contractor’s inaction and the government’s resolve to overhaul the project raises critical concerns about accountability in the execution of large-scale infrastructure projects.
With an estimated budget nearing $1 billion, stakeholders and citizens will be watching closely to see how the government navigates the complexities of reassigning the project without incurring additional financial liabilities.
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