T’di Coastal Project going through procurement process

The Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, is currently going through a procurement process, to award on contract, the remaining one kilometre stretch to be protected under the new Takoradi sea defence project.

Mr Sampson Ahi, the Deputy Sector Minister, said the Ministry has received commencement certificate to start the construction works.

Answering questions on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, the Deputy Minister said the Ministry, through the Hydrological Services Department, had undertaken the necessary assessment of the erosion problems along the New Takoradi coastal stretch.

The question about the project was asked by Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, Member of Parliament for Takoradi, who wanted to know when the construction of the new Takoradi sea defence wall would commence.

Mr Ahi said the coastal stretch is to be protected in two kilometres.

“Currently, one of the two kilometres stretch, is being protected under the Nkotompo Coastal Protection Project, which was awarded on contract in November 2013, at a cost of 23 million dollars,” Mr Ahi said.

The Deputy Minister answered another question posed by Mr Wahab Wumbei Suhyin, MP for Tolon, who asked what plans the Ministry has to extend the Biwater Project to the environs of Tamale, to enable them enjoy potable water supply, saying that government has planned to build a new water treatment plant to the south of Tamale at Yapei.

“This plant will take its raw water from the White Volta at Yapei,” he said, adding that the plant would allow for flexibility and increased reliability in the water supply system that serves Tamale and surrounding communities.

Mr Ahi, who is also the MP for Bodi in the Western Region, explained that the water supply for Tamale and its surrounding communities, is based on abstraction of raw water from the White Volta at Nawuni, adding that the existing Water Treatment Plant at Dalun produces an average of 36423m3/d of potable water against an assessed demand of 49,329m3/d.

In response to a question from Mr Kofi Okyere-Agyekum, MP for Fanteakwa, as to what the Ministry was doing to provide the people of some communities in the constituency with good drinking water, the Deputy Minister attributed in part, the cause of the problem, to the heavy pollution of the Birim River, as a result of illegal mining activities in the area.

“Due to this, the Ghana Water Company Limited produces an average of 60m3/d of water at Osino, which is woefully inadequate to serve a demand of 407m3/d for the entire coverage area.

“As a result, potable water supply is currently limited to Osino. Supply to Nsutam from the Bunso Water Supply System is intermittent, as a result of the raw water problems.”

Mr Ahi stressed the need to actively fight the menace of illegal mining.

“We are, therefore, calling on the Honourable Member of Parliament for Fanteakwa South, the District Assemblies, Chiefs and Opinion Leaders, to assist in the fight against this canker,” the Deputy Minister said.

He announced that there are plans by the GWCL to expand the capacity of the water treatment plant at Osino, to meet the 2025 demand of 563 M3/d.

There are also plans for the rehabilitation of the existing plant at Bunso, to restore the installed capacity, which is adequate to meet the 2025 demand.

Meanwhile, the House continued that debate to approve the 2015 Budget, presented last week by Mr Seth Terkper, the Minister of Finance.