Govt commits resources for improvement of water supply in Central

Region

Cape Coast, Aug. 31, GNA- The Minister of Works and Housing, on Tuesday, handed over materials worth 20.3 billion cedis, for improvement of water supply at the University of Cape Coast, the Ankaful Mental Hospital and seven selected Senior Secondary Schools (SSS) in the Central Region.

The beneficiary schools are the Adisadel, St. Augustine's, and Ghana National colleges', Mfantsipim, Wesley Girls, Edinaman and Aggrey Memorial schools.

Alhaji Mustapha Ali Iddris the sector Minister, said the materials, were provided under the Water Supply Improvement Project (WSIP), being sponsored through the HIPC Fund.

He said the project would resolve the perennial water crisis facing the Region and the Cape Coast Municipality in particular.

Alhaji Iddris said as a medium and long -term measure, a number of studies have been carried out on the Kakum river basin to determine its long-term sustainability as a major water source for the Municipality. He said other sources including the Pra river had been explored.

Alhaji Iddris said the Dutch Government had committed 500 million Euros for the dredging of Brimsu Dam and improvement of water supply to Winneba, in addition to the 24 million Euros it offered for the rehabilitation of Kwanyaku Water Works.

Mr Samuel Gerald Odartey Lamptey, acting Managing Director of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), expressed concern about illegal connections of water especially by manufacturers of sachet water and appealed to consumers to team up with the Company to expose the cheats. Mr Isaac Edumadze, the Regional Minister expressed concern about farming activities along the Kakum river bank and asked the surrounding communities, to desist from the practice and instead plant trees to protect water resources.