Potable water supply, a government priority

Accra Feb 17, GNA - Mr. Hackman Owusu-Agyeman Minister of Works and Housing on Thursday said provision of potable water to Ghanaians was topmost priority on government's development agenda.

Mr Owusu-Agyeman has therefore, tasked the Ghana Water Company Limited to (GWCL) modernise its activities to ensure frequent water supply to all residents of Accra especially, Adenta and its surroundings.

"The era for 'ifs' and 'buts' on projects would not be accepted, I am giving you one month to procure another generator to boost power at the Dodowa Water project site and ensure frequent supply of water to all parts of Adenta.

Mr Owusu-Agyeman said this when he inspected an on-going 9.7 billion cedi water project at Dodowa in the Dangbe West District.

The project is expected to provide a short-term measure in supply of 300,000 gallons of water to residents of Adenta and its surroundings twice every week. A bucket of water is currently sold at 1,000 cedis at Adenta where water is supplied once every three weeks.

He said: " we need a new dynamic way of doing things to ensure that we deliver and fulfil our promises and visions of government to Ghanaians." Mr Owusu-Agyeman asked GWCL to announce the number of days and times to supply water to Adenta and its environment so that the people could fetch water at their homes.

The Minister, who was informed about the behaviour of the youth of Dangbe West, who were said to have destroyed the lines connecting power supply to the project and said, "they couldn't hold the interest of some communities to random by way of disconnecting power supply to the project."

"Make sure you get people to police the project at all times and ensure that residents in Dodowa benefited as well. It is sad to have a project on your land, especially when you don't benefit."

He said some donors have already expressed interest in supporting water projects citing the Dutch government as being part of the donors who have pledged to provide 50 per cent cost towards water projects in the country.

Mr. Owusu-Agyeman said plans were advanced to join loops from Weija and Kpong Water to provide a long-term solution towards the perennial water problem facing Adenta and parts of Accra.

The Minister appealed to Mr Kojo Opare Hammond, Member of Parliament to monitor the activities of GWCL and report matters affecting the supply of water. Mr Samuel O. Lamptey, Managing Director, GWCL said he had accepted the challenge thrown by the Minister and asked for the needed assistance to deliver.

He assured the Minister of ensuring the supply of water to Dodowa very soon.

Mr. Hammond was grateful to government for the project saying, "for a long time Adenta and its surrounding had been saddled with a perennial water problem but today people can now have access to water."