Mahama Administration Commits $1bn to Complete Pwalugu Dam by 2030

The Mahama Administration has pledged $1 billion in the 2027 Budget to fully complete the long-delayed Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam project. The goal is to have the dam operational by December 2030. This commitment revives an initiative launched by the previous NPP government, which saw no progress despite significant preliminary spending.

The $1 billion allocation is part of the government's $3 billion investment in commercial agriculture under the four-year "New Economy" Programme. The dam will be built in phases, with the first phase expected to be completed by early 2029 and the full project by December 2030. Upon completion, the multipurpose facility is expected to irrigate 25,000 hectares of farmland for year-round vegetable farming, house 1,000 fish cages for domestic aquaculture, and generate 70 megawatts of hydropower.

Additionally, the dam will offer flood protection and water security to the dry northern region while powering local agro-processing factories, pack houses, and cold storage facilities. This renewed commitment aims to address the years of frustration surrounding the project. Originally granted by the Akufo-Addo administration in 2019 at an estimated cost of $993 million, the Pwalugu Dam stalled after its sod-cutting ceremony, drawing intense public scrutiny after reports revealed that approximately $12 million had been spent on preliminary works without any actual construction.