Executive Director of the Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy, Bismark Ayorogo, has blamed the shoddy work done by dam contractors and consultants for the failure of the one village one dam policy.

In a recent JoyNews documentary by Joojo Cobbinah, ‘Thirsty Dams’, he discovers that the majority of dams constructed as part of the one village one dam policy have dried up and most are unable to hold water for more than two months.

The failure of the dams to hold water for long periods has left the many opportunities the dams were expected to bring to surrounding towns and villages unrealised.

Speaking to JoyNews, Bismark Ayorogo noted that the contractors and consultants in charge of building the dams had done so haphazardly leading to their failure.

“The reason is the equipment that was moved to the site for the construction, community members described them as equipment that could be used to dig fish ponds. So the equipment that is usually used for the construction of dams, irrigable dams we did not see those equipment.

“Secondly, most community members testified that they used less than one week to construct a dam. And when we spoke with Ghana Irrigation Authority, they said it is unheard of, unthinkable, to use even two months to construct a dam.”

He said the contractors and consultants had failed to engage community members and the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority and had further refused any technical advice concerning the right sites to construct the dams.

“ So they did not do feasibility study, they did not seek technical advice, professional advice from Ghana Irrigation Development Authority, they just moved to site, they failed to consult community members on areas that contain water or areas that has the potential to contain water when the dams are constructed. All advices were ignored by the contractors, by the consultants, and they did whatever they wanted to do and this is the results we’re all getting,” he said.