Sustainable water resources hold key to socio-economic development - Mills

Accra, Oct. 19, GNA - President John Evans Atta Mills on Tuesday observed that sustainable water resources hold the key to socio-economic development of nations.

He said sustainability of the resource is therefore the key to long term success and this can be achieved through investments and finance, governance and general management.

President Mills made the observation in a speech read on his behalf, at the official opening of the Second Ghana Water Forum on the theme: "The role of Children and Youth in Sanitation and Water Service Delivery in Ghana: The Sustainability factor."

He said water should be seen as a catalyst for propelling the socio-economic status of local communities to curb rural-urban migration.

On governance issues pertaining to sustainable water service delivery, President Mills said harmonising trans-boundary issues would not only help the country to manage trans-boundary water wisely, but would also foster bilateral talks between Ghana and its neighbours.

He said government recognised the role of private companies and individuals in solid waste management and it was the dream that more of such efforts should be channelled towards liquid waste management.

President Mills announced that from next year government would be allocating $200 million to the water and sanitation sector to run its programmes.

He also announced that government and its development partners had committed and expended more than $700 million to provide potable water and access to good sanitation over the last couple of years.

"We are therefore on course to achieving the Millennium Development Goals targets of 76 per cent for rural water and 85 per cent target for urban water coverage by 2015," he added.

"A loan facility, worth $273 million, signed between the government of Ghana and China will be used to undertake expansion works at the Kpong Treatment Plant. This will further increase the plant's capacity by an additional 40 million gallons per day."

In addition to these, he said, $185 million worth of projects within the urban areas are ongoing and expected to be completed by 2011.

He assured participants of government's commitment to the water and sanitation sector.