US Ambassador tours the Volta region to examine the state of USAID support projects

MR Robert P. Jackson, US Ambassador to Ghana, has praised the chiefs and people of Abutia Traditional Area for their zeal, communal spiritedness and maintenance, which has made a water facility, provided to them some six years ago, still viable.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Rotary International jointly sponsored the construction of a $2 million water system in 2011, to ameliorate the scarcity of the commodity in the area.

Under the Global Development Alliance (GDA) to implement a long-term sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) project, a 40-metre cube concrete reservoir, fed by mechanised borehole to distribute water to 11 public standpipes, was constructed.

Mr Jackson is touring the Volta region to inspect USAID support projects.

He acknowledged that since the donor support ended in 2014, Abutia-Teti community had added two more standpipes and extended water to the Senior High School and adjoining community with individuals connecting the commodity to their homes.

He said the water project topped among the success stories in the water sector support services by the Embassy.

The Ambassador entreated other communities to take cue from the example of Abutia experience.

Togbe Abutia Kodzo Gidi V, Paramount Chief of Abutia Traditional Area, said the facility was serving the community well and thanked their benefactors for their forthrightness to support the project.

He appealed to USAID to consider assisting the community with a cassava grating facility to help the women folks in adding value to their agricultural mainstay.

Madam Elsie Tefe, Water and Sanitation Chairperson, said with the provision of the facility, women and children no longer searched for water during odd hours.

She said a bucket sells for 10 pesewas and management team takes care of repairs, when any system broke down.

Mr Jackson pledged to consider their requisition going forward.