File photo
Three water systems constructed to expand access to reliable water supply by the people in three Ashanti communities have been inaugurated in separate ceremonies.
These were provided by Safe Water Network, an NGO, in partnership with Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Newman’s Own, Stone Family and Vitol Foundations.
The beneficiary communities are Anyinasu in the Ejura-Sekeredumase Municipality, Asonomaso in the Kwabre East, and Bonwire in the Ejisu-Juaben Municipality.
Mr. Charles Nimako, Country Director of the NGO, said his organization had over the past seven years completed over 80 water systems across the nation.
He said the intervention had impacted the lives of a combined population of 250,000, about 120,000 of them were in Ashanti Region.
He said the target was to cover additional 200 communities in the next three years.
Mr. Nimako said they were employing a market-based module, where each water station was viewed as a small business, managed by the local people.
“We build local capacity through comprehensive training to equip the local people with the technical know-how to manage the systems” he added.
The goal, he indicated, was to generate revenue to take care of the operation and maintenance cost to ensure sustainability of the facilities.
He spoke of plans to explore the possibility of installing solar plants to significantly bring down the cost of running the systems.
Alhaji Mohammed Bawa Braimah, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Ejura-Sekyeredumase, said the project was a welcomed relief to the people.
He reminded the community to show ownership of the facility, to keep it clean and ensure that it was properly maintained.
Mr. Salisu Bamba, the Member of Parliament (MP), said people in the area had been struggling with safe and uninterrupted water supply adding that, the project could not have come at a better time.
Nana Akwasi Awobaa II, the chief of the community, said it was a dream come true and thanked the NGO for the support.
