The Acting Managing Director of the Irrigation Company of Upper Region (ICOUR) Limited, Dominic Atogumsekiya Anarigide, has reaffirmed management’s commitment to rebuilding and repositioning the company as a beacon of hope for farmers and stakeholders in the region.
He made this known at the 62nd Consultative Committee Meeting held on November 13, 2025, at the Navrongo Health Research Centre Conference Hall.
Mr. Anarigide, who assumed office earlier this year, outlined a series of transformative initiatives aimed at restoring confidence, strengthening community relations, and improving agricultural productivity within ICOUR’s operational areas. According to him, management has undertaken extensive engagements with traditional leaders, assembly members, and district authorities to address long-standing community-level challenges and foster renewed collaboration.
“Through our interactions, we have successfully restored the lost interest of our project communities and halted the sand-winning activities along the shores of the Vea Dam,” he stated.
Highlighting ongoing development works, Mr. Anarigide revealed that rehabilitation at the Vea Irrigation Scheme is progressing steadily on the right bank canal, with plans advanced to commence similar works on the left bank under a World Bank-supported initiative.
“We are giving this project renewed attention to bring it back to full operational strength comparable to Tono,” he added.
He also announced ICOUR’s collaboration with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) under the “HAPPY Project,” which is supporting 1,000 farmers across the Vea and Tono irrigation schemes with inputs, capacity building, and improved services.
Additional interventions include climate-smart rice cultivation training, vegetable seed distribution to 150 farmers, and specialized training for 100 women on sweet potato and legume production.
Mr. Anarigide further disclosed partnerships with several institutions such as JICA, the West Africa Food Systems Resilience Project, and the Water Resources Commission to enhance farmers’ capacity and boost productivity. Through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), ICOUR has signed Memoranda of Understanding with private investors for projects including rice milling, agro-input financing, warehousing, and fish farming.
Calling for collective support, Mr. Anarigide urged farmers to adhere to the cropping calendar, follow ICOUR’s regulations, and promptly pay their irrigation service charges. He also appealed to the government and development partners to assist in improving road infrastructure, logistics, and staffing.
“The challenges before us are not insurmountable. With unity of purpose and renewed commitment, we can transform ICOUR into the efficient, vibrant organization it is meant to be,” he concluded.
Source: a1radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Moses Apiah|Navrongo
