Director of Special Operations at the National Security Council Secretariat, Richard Anthounma Jakpa, has urged urgent investment in irrigation dams across the Upper West Region, arguing that the area’s untapped agricultural potential is being undermined by poor planning and prolonged dry seasons.

Speaking at Issa, Mr Jakpa expressed concern that Ghana continues to depend on vegetable imports from neighbouring countries such as Burkina Faso and Niger, despite having more favourable climatic conditions and fertile land.

“We cannot be in this region and be importing tomatoes from Burkina Faso and onions from Niger. We have better climate here than their climates. Yet they supply us with tomatoes and onions, and our lands lie fallow because we are not being strategic,” he said.

He warned that the extended dry season is contributing to rising youth unemployment, social vices, and irregular migration, stressing that lack of productive activity leaves many young people vulnerable.

“We spend eight months roaming around, drinking, and our youth taking aphrodisiacs and hard drugs because they have nothing to do. So the devil will find something for them, and those are our future that we are losing,” he noted, adding that some resort to risky activities, including illegal mining, in search of income.

Mr Jakpa argued that large-scale irrigation development would help retain young people in productive agriculture throughout the year, reducing migration to southern Ghana and improving livelihoods.

“But if we are able to push and invest in dams, irrigation dams, and they get something to do in the eight months of crisis, very few of them will be going to Kumasi and down south to do galamsey. They will stay here, produce vegetables for the southern part of the country, and make decent money,” he said.

He further appealed to indigenes from the Upper West Region occupying positions in government and other institutions to champion development projects for the area, warning that political opportunities may not always be favourable.

“This is our opportunity. Maybe the next government we may not be fortunate enough to have a lot of our sons and daughters in strategic positions. The time is now,” he stated.

Mr Jakpa cautioned against reliance on short-term interventions, urging leaders to prioritise long-term infrastructure that would transform the region for generations.

“If we don’t take strategic decisions and make strategic moves to invest in things that will move our district and region for generations to come, and we keep giving out handouts each time we come here, we are not helping,” he added.