A delegation of chiefs, rice farmers, and concerned youth from Weta in the Ketu North Municipality of the Volta Region has presented a petition to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, demanding urgent action to address the challenges confronting the Weta Irrigation Scheme (WIS) after severe flooding destroyed nearly all rice fields under the scheme.
The farmers say the destruction of their rice fields has severely affected their livelihoods and are calling on the government to urgently address the concerns raised in the petition, including the rehabilitation of the facility, compensation for affected farmers, and a thorough investigation into the utilisation of World Bank funds allocated for the redevelopment of the scheme.
A Devastated Rice Bowl
According to the farmers, the floods have affected about 97 per cent of rice fields under the scheme, with losses estimated at more than GH¢4 billion. More than 1,200 registered farming families have been left counting their losses, with their investments in rice production wiped out.
Gideon Kokroko, a member of the concerned youth of the Weta Irrigation Project, appealed to the government to provide financial assistance to farmers whose crops and livelihoods have been destroyed by the floods.
“1,203 farmers registered for the project. So far, we have invested a lot in it, but the floods came and consumed everything. We are appealing to the government, as a matter of urgency, to rehabilitate the project for us and provide financial support so that we can feed ourselves while waiting for the next farming season. We are suffering, and we are hungry,” he said.
The petition was received on behalf of the Minister by the Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, Hon. John Dumelo, who assured the delegation of the government’s commitment to rehabilitating the scheme and supporting farmers to restore the once-thriving agricultural project.
“I was informed by your Member of Parliament, Edem Agbana, that some farmers from his constituency wanted to meet me later today. I had an idea of what was contained in the petition. What I can assure you is that it is something that can be done and will be done,” John Dumelo said.
The Flooding Crisis: A Blocked Waterway and a Collapsed Dyke
The flooding crisis at Weta has been linked to a blocked natural waterway. An engineering assessment conducted by the Ketu North Municipal Assembly identified that Diamond Solar Salt had obstructed the waterway by constructing salt pond bunds across it, preventing excess water from the irrigation scheme from flowing into the lagoon and causing water to backflow into the agricultural basin.
The Assembly ordered the company to immediately remove all obstructions from the natural waterway and directed it to procure alternative machinery to comply within 24 hours after the company indicated its main excavator was under repair. Plans were also announced for a comprehensive dredging exercise of the canal network as a long-term solution to the recurring flooding challenges.
However, the farmers say the damage had already been done. The collapse of the main protective dyke exposed the entire irrigation scheme to continuous flooding, making farming activities increasingly risky. Major components of the facility, including the main canals, laterals, sub-laterals, feeder channels, control gates, and access roads, have all deteriorated significantly.
“The Weta Irrigation Scheme is currently in a collapsed state. Without urgent intervention, anybody who ventures into rice farming on the scheme does so at his or her own risk,” Kokroko warned.
A Legacy of Neglect: The History of the Weta Irrigation Scheme
The Weta Irrigation Scheme, formerly known as the Afife Irrigation Project, has a long and storied history. The Agali reservoir was constructed by the Government of Russia in 1962 and later rehabilitated in 1982 through assistance from the Government of China during the construction of the Kplikpa reservoir. The Chinese government assisted in the construction of the larger Kplikpa Dam between 1978 and 1982, and the scheme was commissioned for cultivation in 1983.
The scheme features two earthen dams situated on the lower reaches of the Agali and Kplikpa rivers, delivering water to the fields by gravity. It supports irrigation across 23 communities and has a potential development area of 950 hectares, with 880 hectares developed so far.
At its peak, the scheme had the potential to produce more than 10,000 metric tonnes of rice annually from its 880 hectares of irrigable land. It directly employs 1,095 farmers—74 per cent men and 26 per cent women—and generates around 5,000 indirect jobs along the value chain, from cultivation to processing and distribution. Yields under the scheme average 5 metric tonnes per hectare, helping to address Ghana’s rice deficit of approximately 750,000 metric tonnes annually as of 2024.
However, the facility has not undergone any major rehabilitation since it became operational more than four decades ago, despite technical recommendations that rehabilitation should have been undertaken over 20 years ago. Prolonged neglect has resulted in the deterioration of key irrigation infrastructure, reducing productivity and exposing farmers to increasing losses.
The World Bank Funding Controversy
In 2023, officials of the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA) announced that the scheme had been selected for rehabilitation under the 150-million-dollar World Bank-supported West Africa Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP). The FSRP, funded by the World Bank and implemented by the Government of Ghana, selected the Weta Irrigation Scheme for rehabilitation to increase crop productivity.
However, farmers say they are yet to see any significant rehabilitation work or the movement of equipment to the site, three years after the announcement. The farmers are now demanding a thorough investigation into how World Bank funds earmarked for the redevelopment of the scheme had been used.
The funding controversy has been compounded by recent developments at the national level. In September 2026, Food and Agriculture Minister Eric Opoku wrote to the Finance Ministry asking it to reverse Ghana’s proposed withdrawal from the FSRP, warning that the decision had put more than GH¢643 million in existing commitments and key agricultural activities at risk. According to MoFA, outstanding obligations for agricultural infrastructure works under the programme total GH¢643,867,633.36, with GH¢520,257,975.43 relating to credit from the International Development Association and GH¢123,609,657.93 relating to the FS2030 Trust Fund.
The World Bank subsequently directed the FSRP implementation team to pause all activities and procurement financed by the IDA credit and Recipient-Executed Trust Funds. MoFA warned that rehabilitation works at the Weta, Vea, and Kpong irrigation schemes, as well as selected inland valleys, could be affected.
A Call for Accountability and Action
The farmers are demanding the urgent rehabilitation of the facility to restore farmlands severely affected by years of challenges. With more than 1,200 families affected, they are also appealing for appropriate compensation to help them recover their livelihoods.
They have also called for the reconstruction of the collapsed dyke, canals, control gates, and access roads, emergency support for farmers affected by the floods, and the establishment of a sustainable maintenance programme to protect the scheme for future generations.
Torgbuiga Akpo Ashiakpor VI, the Paramount Chief and Overlord of Weta Traditional Area, has previously highlighted the challenges facing the scheme, including “poor administration or financial management, operational opaqueness, encroachment on land by some chiefs and citizens, conflict regarding land allocation, and other ulterior motives”. He noted that while the scheme was expected to cultivate a total cropping area of 880 hectares, perennial flooding issues had reduced the average cultivated land size to 650 hectares.
Political Commitment and Advocacy
The Member of Parliament for Ketu North, Edem Agbana, has assured his constituents of his commitment to sustained advocacy to ensure their concerns are addressed.
Speaking at the meeting to present the petition, Mr Agbana said he would continue engaging the relevant authorities to secure concrete action.
“I have assured the delegation that I will continue to engage the relevant authorities and push for concrete, measurable action. The concerns raised must translate into a clear rehabilitation plan, accountability for funds committed to the project, and a credible pathway towards restoring the livelihoods of affected farmers,” he said.
Deputy Minister John Dumelo’s visit to the scheme follows a previous visit on July 4, 2025, when he and MP Edem Agbana toured the facility following severe flooding and assured affected farmers of government support—assurances that farmers say have not yet resulted in the needed interventions.
The Path Forward
The situation demands urgent and decisive intervention. The Weta Irrigation Scheme is a critical agricultural asset with enormous potential to boost rice production, create jobs, and strengthen Ghana’s food security. Its continued deterioration has come at a significant cost to farmers and their families. With the World Bank funding now in limbo and the infrastructure in a state of collapse, further delays in addressing these challenges could worsen the plight of the more than 1,200 farming families who depend on the scheme for their livelihoods.
