Mahama Pledges Accountability for Pwalugu Dam Financial Losses

Former President John Mahama

John Mahama, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has vowed to hold those responsible for the financial mismanagement of the Pwalugu Dam project accountable if he is elected.

Mahama highlighted that $12 million has already been expended on the dam project, yet no progress has been made. The Pwalugu multipurpose dam, which was intended to alleviate the recurrent flooding in the Upper East Region by 2019, remains unfinished.

During a media briefing in Bolgatanga on Wednesday, Mahama reaffirmed his commitment to completing the dam.

“We didn’t initiate the project because we couldn’t secure dedicated funding. For a project of this magnitude, once started, it requires continuous funding until completion. The new government took over and, in 2019, held a sod-cutting ceremony for the project,” Mahama explained.

He pointed out the funding issues, stating, “They announced it would be financed from the Government of Ghana (GoG) budget. I knew this would be problematic because a nearly $1 billion project relying on the GoG budget would encounter the same challenges faced by other projects dependent on the consolidated fund. And that’s precisely what happened.”

Mahama criticized the government’s handling of the project, saying, “It created significant political capital for the president’s party with the sod-cutting event. Unfortunately, we ended up losing money—nearly $12 million was spent with no work done. The site shows no evidence of progress, indicating financial loss to the state. Those responsible must be held accountable.”

Despite these setbacks, Mahama stressed the importance of the project, concluding, “The Pwalugu Dam is a desirable project, and we intend to see it through to completion.”