The contractor working on the Ekyeamamfrom-Pivot Irrigation Project in the Afram Plains has appealed to the government to settle three outstanding payment certificates to enable him to complete the project and hand it over to farmers.

Project Manager Anthony Abubakar said the project was about 90 percent complete, but delays in the release of funds had affected progress on the remaining works.

He made the appeal during a site visit by Parliament’s Committee on Food, Agriculture, and Cocoa Affairs to assess the progress of the project and identify challenges affecting its completion on October 1.

Mr Abubakar said the remaining works were limited and could be completed by the end of the year if the outstanding payments were released.

He said the irrigation facility would cover about 350 acres and support the cultivation of potatoes, tomatoes, and other crops in the Afram Plains.

“This site is actually going to cover about 350 acres. They intend to use it for potatoes and then tomatoes and other crops,” he said.

Mr Abubakar said the contractor had made significant progress on the project, but payment delays had become the main obstacle to completing the remaining works.

He explained that the contractor had submitted payment certificates as far back as October last year but was yet to receive the funds needed to finish the project.

According to him, there was little physical work left to be done, with funding now the major issue confronting the contractor.

“If only they could release the money, we could complete the project and hand it over by the end of this year. The only challenge now is funding. Apart from that, there is very little work left to be done,” he added.

Farmers ready to begin production

Mr Abubakar said farmers expected to benefit from the irrigation facility were already on site and ready to commence production once the project was completed and handed over.

The availability of the farmers and their equipment, he said, meant that the facility could begin serving its intended purpose once the remaining works were completed.

He appealed to the government to release the outstanding funds to enable the contractor to complete the remaining works and hand over the facility for use by farmers.

The project is expected to provide irrigation support for the cultivation of about 350 hectares of crops, including potatoes, tomatoes, and other agricultural produce in the Afram Plains area.