Sixteen million gallons of water lost daily

Accra, March 18, GNA- Alhaji Abubakr Saddique Boniface, Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing on Tuesday said potable water supply in the country was 85 million gallons as against demand of 150 million gallons and much of the loss was though illegal connections. He said, in all, 16 gallons of water are lost daily. Answering questions in Parliament, Alhaji Boniface said in just one day, an inspection team detected 100 illegal connections, adding that stealing of water lines constituted financial loss to the state. He said the Cabinet approved a national water policy in June 2007, which was intended to provide a framework for sustainable development of Ghana's water resources.

The policy, organised under three sections, targets all water users, water managers practitioners and other stakeholders within the centralized government decentralized structures and international agencies.

Alhaji Boniface announced that water was being rationed in Accra and poly-tanks had been placed at strategic places to ease the current water shortage situation in Accra. He said, in addition to mechanized boreholes, an additional funding of US$250 million was being raised to add to the source of the water supply in Accra.

However, he added that, some places in Accra were not having water because on an on-going East/West Interconnectivity, expected to be completed in three to four months time.

When completed the connectivity would increase the supply of water by 15 million gallons, Alhaji Boniface said.

Meanwhile the House has approved an amount of GHC 163.025,000 to be released to the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) for distribution to designated sectors and institutions for the year 2008. It also approved a motion proposed formula for the distribution of GHC 234, 290,700 for the year 2008.