The Irrigation Company of Upper Region’s (ICOUR) efforts to digitize its operations have hit a snug after batteries of an automated machine at its Navrongo Irrigation Scheme were stolen.
The company, its Managing Director Dominic Anarigide said, aims to automate its activities across its operational areas to ensure effective management and conversation of the water resources.
“With the automated system, you are able to tell how much volume they consume and then you shut when you have to shut,” he said.
The automation of its Navrongo Irrigation Scheme was meant to be the starting point and would be extended to all its schemes.
The Managing Director, however, revealed that the company’s operations in Navrongo have been reverted to manual after the automated machine batteries were stolen.
Dominic Anarigide revealed this in an interview on State of Our Nation last Monday.
“The challenge with that is that because of how well that system is regulated, some people prefer to destroy it so that they can have free flow of water the way they want,” he stated.
“Navrongo or the Tono side, it was made both manual and automated. They stole the batteries.”
He suspected sabotage but remained resolute about digitizing the company’s operations especially at Vea, where the company, through the government, has secured support from the World Bank to revamp its irrigation scheme there.
Speaking on the state of the company when he took over, Dominic Anarigide said it was not just poorly managed but also ran down.
He has pledged to revive the company and reposition it to serve the needs of especially the people of its operational areas.
He said the fortunes of the company are already being turned around under his leadership and he will continue to offer the right leadership to put it back to shape.
