Mankessim to benefit from one million Euro Sanitation project

Mankessim (C/R), April 26, GNA - Mankessim, a buzzing market centre in the Mfantseman Municipality of the Central Region, is to benefit from a o= ne million Euro Sanitation project.

Government and the African Development Bank, African Water Facility and The Netherlands Water Partnership are funding the Tripartite Partnership Project, with Training Research and Networking for Development (TREND) Group, a consulting firm as the implementing agent. Speaking at a workshop for the implementation of the project at Mankessim, Mr Eugene Larbi, Team Leader of TREND said the town was chosen=

for the pilot project because it had a strategic sanitation plan as well as its commercial importance.

He said the beneficiary Metropolitan, Municipal and District assembl= ies would be required to prioritise water and sanitation projects in their development programmes to improve the living conditions of the people and=

reduce poverty. The project signed in January this year, would comprise the construction of public toilet facilities, household toilets and solid and=

liquid waste management and drainage systems. It would also build the capacity of the people, particularly officia= ls of the municipal assembly to enable them to manage and to supervise the projects effectively. Mr Larbi observed that the country's decentralisation policy had pla= ced the responsibility of sanitation on the assemblies and urged them to live= up to expectation.

He said some non-governmental organisations in The Netherlands have mobilised funds to be used to set up a credit scheme at Mankessim, which would serve as a revolving fund to benefit a larger number of the people. Mr Larbi appealed to the beneficiaries of the fund to pay back the money in time to enable others to benefit.

Mr Henry Kweku Hayfron, Municipal Chief Executive said the assembly had made serious efforts to improve on sanitation in the commercial town, but=

the influx of traders had overwhelmed the facilities provided. He said the absence of storm water drainage and sewerage conveyance,=

poor solid and liquid waste management had compounded the problem. Mr Aquinas Tawiah Quansah, Member of Parliament for Mfantseman West,=

pledged his support to facilitate the successful completion of the projec= t. Similar projects would be implemented at Ashiaman in the Greater Acc= ra Region and Huni Valley in the Western Region.