The construction of the Pwalugu multipurpose dam project in the Upper East Region of Ghana officially commenced on Nov 29, with POWERCHINA as the exclusive EPC (engineering procurement construction) general contractor for the $900 million project.
At the commencement ceremony, Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo said the Pwalugu dam is the largest investment project ever undertaken by the Ghanaian government in the northern region. It will not only prevent frequent floods in the north, but also will lay the foundation for sustainable growth and development in the region.
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Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo attends the commencement ceremony of Pwalugu multipurpose dam project in Ghana. [Photo/POWERCHINA] |
He said that the project consists of three parts: a hydropower station, a photovoltaic power station and an irrigation project, the latter including the first water-light complementary project and the largest irrigation project in Ghana.
After the project is completed, more than 1 million people will benefit from it, and it will help achieve the government's "One Village, One Dam" and "Planting for Food and Jobs" plans.
The project will create a large amount of fertile land, increasing rice yields and reducing rice imports by up to 16 percent each year.
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Ghanaian government officials attend the commencement ceremony of the Pwalugu multipurpose dam project. [Photo/POWERCHINA] |
The Pwalugu reservoir will hold up to 120,000 cages, which will greatly promote the sustainable development of aquaculture and fisheries.
In addition, it will also help realize the industrialization of agriculture and the government's "One District, One Factory" initiative, which will become a catalyst for the development of agricultural industries.
The president emphasized that the construction of the project will drive local consumption, employment, materials processing and equipment supply in Ghana.
He wrote a special handwritten note to express thanks to POWERCHINA: "The Ghanaian people appreciate very much your commitment and contribution to the development of this important project. We count on your expertise, skill and dedication to its success."
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Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo expresses thanks to POWERCHINA in hand-written note. [Photo/POWERCHINA] |
Located on the White Volta River in the north of Ghana, the project is a large water conservancy hub and irrigation project integrating flood prevention, power generation, irrigation, water supply, breeding and eco-tourism.
The main dam will be 59 meters high, with a storage capacity of 2.62 billion cubic meters, installed hydropower capacity of 59.6 megawatts and supporting 50 mW of photovoltaic complementarity.
