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AGRICULTURE

Kajelo, 3 other communities to benefit from solar mechanization for dry-season farming

Four communities in the Kassena Nankana West district of the Upper East Region are to get four drilled mechanized solar power boreholes for dry season farming. The beneficiary communities include; Kajelo, Navem, Biba and Kachono. The project which is fully funded by the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion Project (SOCO ) is under the ministry of local government and rural development.

Date Created : 11/24/2023 12:00:00 AM : Story Author : mywordfmonline.com/Gaspard Ayuureneeya.

The four mechanized borehole solar power is said to cost 548,007 Ghana cedis and part of the amount will be used to pay unskilled labour force at an amount of 82,201.05 Ghana cedis.

Speaking to Word news at a short ceremony to hand over the site for the contractor, the District engineer Mr. Ameataba Bertimus explained that the contractor will drill four mechanized boreholes in the beneficiary communities and install solar panels which will be used to generate power. A huge reservoir of about 60 cube meters which will contain the water for onward pumping into their farm lands will be erected.

“A week ago, we were here to explain the modality that we need for the recruitment of unskilled labor, the time they will work per day to be paid, the amount they will be paid, and their behavior about the work and the need for the communities to cooperate with the contractor, during that meeting, we assured the communities that in a week we would be here with the contractor to hand over the site so that he could drill the four boreholes and solar mechanized for dry season farming, that is the main reason why we are here today, to officially hand over the four sites to the contractor to do the drilling and solar mechanization, the drilling is going to be at the four sites with each with its borehole”. He explained.

He added that the Kassena Nankana West district assembly will be playing a supervisory role to ensure that the contractor delivers quality work on time.

“The drilling is going to be done with the inspections of the district Assembly. If that is done, the contractor will bring solar panels that are going to generate the current needed for the pump to pump the water within 50 meters to hundred meters that will go into a big reservoir of sixty cube meters which will now be the reservoir where farmers will put their tubes or pumps tubes there and pump the water to their various pepper farms and tomatoes farms so we expect the contractor to complete the work within three months and hand over to the communities”.

The district disclosed that the contractor shall pay 0.1 percent damages to the assembly if he fails to complete the project within the stipulated period.

Dstrict chief Executive for the Kassena Nankana West Mr. Gerald Ataogye exclusively explained to Word News that a good number of community driven project are going to be carried out in the phase one of the SOCO project. The projects, he said are live touching ones.

“In Kassena Nankana West, we are benefitting from a lot of these projects, infact, let me be quick to tell you that these projects are chosen by the people themselves in the various communities”.

He noted that the district is going to benefit a lot from the SOCO projects.

He disclosed that a number of projects including the construction of 16 unit market stalls at Sirigu, completion of a CHPS at Kandiga Atibabisi which was started by the former member of parliament Lawyer Rudolf Amega-Etigo but stalled due funding , rehabilitation of Nabango town water system, construction of one triple 1.8diameter culvert at Mirigu Gonum, rehabilitation of butcher shop at Paga new market, rehabilitation of Nakolo health center, rehabilitation of Kanania CHPS , construction of a double 1.8diameter culvert at Gmenia , construction of two 16 unit market stalls at Katiu and construction of a community social centre at Kayoro are all projects undertaken by SOCO.

Farmers from the four beneficiary communities who spoke to Word News were happy that the solar-powered mechanized borehole project has come to a reality. They noted that the project will go a long way to eradicate poverty in the area.

Mr. Tepana Peter, a farmer in the Kajelo told Word News that some of the farmers who had mechanized their boreholes powered by the national grid are going out of the dry season farming due to the high cost of electricity bills. He stated that the solar-powered mechanized boreholes when completed, will help boost the dry season farmers in the area.

Mr. Gilbert Kuduma another farmer who wouldn’t hide his joy lamented that farmers have been struggling over the years to cultivate owing to shortage of water in the area.

He added that the project will provide jobs for youth and by far, reduce poverty.

Assemblyman for the Kajelo electoral area, Mr. Aniakwo Hilary expressed joy about the solar-powered mechanized boreholes that have come to augment the small dams and the wells which has been disappointing farmers in the area.

Mr. Kututera Peter, the contractor with Hydronomics Company Limited promised to execute the project within three months and pleaded for cooperation from the beneficiary communities.