Gbemi stream project at Ashaiman not abandoned - Minister

Accra, Oct. 15, GNA - Ms Cecilia Abena Dapaah, Minister of State at Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing told Parliament that the Gbemi stream drainage project at Ashaiman has not been abandoned. However, she said the project had been stalled due to funding. Ms Dapaah, who is Member of Parliament for Bantama was responding to a question on when the abandoned project would resume. She explained that the project, estimated to cost 1.5 million Ghana cedis had been captured in the Ministry's 2009 Budget for continuation. Mr Alex Kyeremeh, NDC-Techiman North, in another question asked when the Small Town Water Project for Aworowa and Akrofrom in Techiman Municipality would commence.

Ms Dapaah said government with a credit facility from the International Development Agency (IDA) of the World Bank was implementing the Small Towns Water and Sanitation Project in six Regions in the country including Brong Ahafo Region. She explained that Aworowa-Akrofrom, twin towns in Techiman Municipality were beneficiaries.

Ms Dapaah said currently design of the water supply system and tendering for award of contract had been completed while evaluation of tenders by Techiman Municipal Assembly had been completed. She said as required by the World Bank, the evaluation report had been forwarded to the Bank for clearance. Ms Dapaah said it was expected that clearance from the Bank would be received before the end of October, after which the evaluation report would be submitted to the assembly's Tender Committee for approval and award of contract. Giving a month mobilization period from the award of the contract, it is expected that construction activities would begin early December 2008 to be completed by September, 2009. 15 Oct. 08