Over 200,000 people to benefit from peri-urban and rural water supply project

Cabinet has approved the implementation of peri-urban and rural water supply project in 450 locations in Volta, Eastern, Greater Accra and Ashanti regions.

The water supply project would benefit 225,000 people in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)-Six of providing clean water and sanitation for all.

The project would provide clean and reliable drinking water to residents of those regions using advanced technology and would be executed over 18 months.

It would also maximise social and health benefits, improve school attendance and reduce water-borne diseases among the population.

It would involve cashless payment and data collection system integrated within its implementation to ensure that revenue is easily captured, managed and secured in advance of all water distribution.

Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Information Minister, who announced this at a media briefing, in Accra, on Sunday, said government was embarking on the project as part of measures to cater for unserved and hard-to-reach rural communities and improve strategy to enhance the delivery of water, sanitation and hygiene facilities for the people.

The Minister explained that the concept of transformation of society was to employ innovative technology and financing methods to generate revenue for maintenance and future expansion of the project.

The Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources and the Community Water and Sanitation Agency in conjunction with Aqua Africa Limited, a UK private sector entity, have been working closely on a market-based approach to provide sustainable clean drinking water to peri-urban and rural communities in Ghana, he said.

The Minister stated that the implementation of the project would improve access to reliable potable water throughout the year, with 225,000 people expected to be taken out of poverty.