Sanitation minister inspects €85m water supply and expansion project in Volta Region

The Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, has inspected ongoing construction works at the 85 million euro Keta Water Expansion Project at Agordome in the South Tongu District of the Volta Region.

According to contractors working on the project, Messrs Lesico Infrastructures S.R.L. 32 percent of construction works have been completed on the project.

The project, which was to be completed by April this year, will now be completed in April 2024 due to the effects of COVID-19 and the Russian-Ukraine war, which impacted planned procurements.

The visit by the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Dapaah, was to inspect the quality and progress of work at the facility.

The project will include a booster station, storage tanks, and 100 km of rehabilitated and extended distribution pipes, and it is expected to produce approximately 40,000 cubic meters per day. When completed, it is expected to provide water to over 420,000 people in three districts, including Keta Municipality, Anloga District, and South Tongu District.

A total of about 65 communities are expected to benefit from the facility when it is completed. The purpose of the tour by the Minister for Water Resources and Sanitation, Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah, and her entourage was to inspect the quality and progress of work and see how best to address challenges identified.

According to officials of the contractors working on the project, Messrs Lesico Infrastructures S.R.L., the completion date for the 85 million Euro project has been affected by COVID-19 and the Russian-Ukraine war, which impacted on planned procurements. As a result, the project, which started in April 2021, is now expected to be completed in April 2024.

The sector minister, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, commended the contractors for their innovative ways to find funds for the project despite the current economic situation. She was hopeful that contractors would deliver a quality job on schedule.

"It’s all because of the order they placed, you know, machinery, etc., the war, and COVID had an impact. But we thank God that at least they are on course to finish by April next year. Even with the financial crunch, they have gone ahead to look for a soft loan to continue with the work," she noted.

"We initially had a report that the work done was 26 percent, but coming to the site here, I can see they have added more to make it 32 percent as overall works. So we are happy with the work," she added.

The Minister and her entourage also visited the multi-purpose Youth Resource Center near Ho, the Volta regional capital, to inspect drainage and sanitation systems as the facility was being put into shape to serve as the event grounds for the country’s 66th independence day parade in the region.

Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah expressed satisfaction with the level of works. "The water will be enough. We even have a buck push in case there is a problem with the storage. So we are happy," she remarked.

"We are providing 1,400 cubic meters of water, which will be enough for 10,000 people. So we have about 30,000, a buck up of 10,000, and an extra force majeure option," she added.