TMA, Ghana Water, sign MOU with Aarhus, Denmark

The Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA), and Ghana Water Company on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the City of Aarhus in Denmark for the commencement of Urban Water Management project in Tema.

Mr Felix Mensah Nii Anang-La, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, who led the delegation of technical officials, signed the MOU in Denmark on behalf of TMA, while Mr Jacob Bundsgaard, Mayor of Aarhus, signed for his city.

The delegation included Dr Clifford Braimah, Managing Director of Ghana Water Company and Alhaji Shehu Awudu Kadiri, Tema Metropolitan Co-ordinating Director.

The agreement was borne out of a sister-city relationship between the two port and industrial cities which had similar challenges of wastewater management from both households and industries.

The cooperation between Tema and Aarhus which would run from 2019 to 2022 was expected to be extended.

Mr Anang-La said Tema was the premier Port city and industrial hub of Ghana as well as a planned city in the centre of the world which housed several industrial and commercial entities.

He expressed joy at the signing of the MOU and noted that it would be inured to their mutual benefit as well as promote cooperation amongst the key stakeholders.

He added that the TMA was looking for ideas and inspiration from Aarhus on efficient wastewater management as Tema was faced with serious wastewater management challenges resulting in polluted lagoons and lakes in the area.

Mr Bundsgaard, on his part, said his city was glad to share its competences with Tema adding that Aarhus would equally gain from the cooperation.

He indicated that Tema was a city on the move with a big harbour and served as a gateway to Africa which would be a stepping stone to achieve meaningful cooperation with other countries on the continent.

He said such cooperation also had an interesting potential for private companies in Aarhus and the region.

The delegation as part of their tour would visit a state-of-the-art sewage water treatment plant and modern water treatment plant at Aarhus, among other companies.

The visit formed part of the Strategic Sector cooperation supported by Danida and facilitated by the Embassy of Denmark.