Two mechanised boreholes valued at GH¢201,599 have been handed over to Damwoe and Amogrebisi, two farming communities in the Bolgatanga Municipality of the Upper East Region. The projects, executed under phase one of the Gulf of Guinea Social Cohesion (SOCO) initiative, are expected to support irrigation, particularly during the dry season.
The handover ceremony took place in Bolgatanga. Speaking at the event, Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive Roland Atanga Ayoo described the facilities as a significant step toward reducing the burden on farmers who heavily depend on rainfall. He urged young people in the communities to utilise the boreholes to enhance their lives through agriculture.
Mr Ayoo said the initiative was part of the government’s broader strategy to modernise agriculture and support rural farmers. He noted that better yields from irrigation farming would help strengthen the local economy.
However, the MCE raised concerns about the actual capacity of the boreholes. He revealed that the expected output of the system was to irrigate up to 52 hectares, but farmers had reported that the boreholes could not even support two acres. Mr Ayoo expressed frustration over the situation and warned the technical team against overseeing such poor-quality projects in the future.
At Damwoe, he advised the youth not to lose hope despite the setbacks. He emphasised that the current challenges were temporary and that more reliable support would be forthcoming.
In Amogrebisi, Assemblyman Samuel Azure voiced his community’s disappointment. He said the poor performance of the borehole had left many farmers frustrated. According to him, the current system could not even serve three farmers. He called for urgent action to address the problem.
Lantana Osman, Director of Agriculture at the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly, also spoke at the event. She acknowledged the project’s shortfalls in execution and assured the farmers that her office would closely monitor future agricultural-related developments. She urged the community to remain calm, pledging that the promised mechanised boreholes would be delivered as soon as possible.
