Minister-designate for Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, has disclosed that the government has spent GH¢840 million on the provision of free water.
She indicated that the free water initiative that was introduced by the government due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has benefited about 10 million people so far in urban areas.
Madame Cecilia Dapaah disclosed this when she took her turn to be vetted at the public sitting of the Appointments Committee of Parliament on Tuesday, February 23, 2021.
She disclosed that the government has initiated many water projects across the country to ensure Ghanaians continue to get potable water for domestic and industrial use.
Providing an update on some of the ongoing water projects, the Minister-designate disclosed that in Sogakope-Lome, the water project is still in its feasibility stage.
She indicated that this project involves channelling water back into the sea from the Volta River.
According to her, there is another project at Yendi for which sod has already been cut and the consultant has submitted an inception report that has been reviewed and approved by the Indian Exim Bank, which is handling funding for the project.
“With the Tamale Water Project, detailed engineering designs have been completed while a value-for-money-audit is ongoing.”
“The geological and seismic studies are being done at the moment just like in the case of the Damongo water project.”
She explained that the Upper East Water project, on the other hand, is about 61% complete and has progressed quickly since Parliament approved the second tranche of the funding for the second phase to begin.
According to her, in Wenchi and Sunyani, commercial contracts have been signed between Ghana Water Company and the contractors while negotiations are ongoing between the government and the contractors.
The Ministry, he said, is now waiting on the contractors to submit their tax exemption applications in order for proper construction works on the projects to start.
On the Keta Water Project, the Minister-designate disclosed that the contractor is already on site to begin work.
She added that the Ministry has concluded a value-for-money-audit on the Takoradi Water Project and is also expected to start very soon.
Madam Cecilia Dapaah disclosed that in addition to the numerous water projects being pursued, the Ministry has also managed to connect 282 kilometres of pipelines to homes in Accra.
This, she said, has improved the provision of potable water to homes in the capital to ensure more people benefit from the free water initiative.
She also said despite missing the target of making Accra the cleanest city in Africa by 2020, Mrs Cecilia Dapaah, said the plan is still on course.
According to her, the target was yet to be achieved because “when you start a process, it takes time to yield results.”
According to her, some government interventions such as the provision of dustbins on roadsides were key to achieving the target.
“Most important of all we have also through the GAMA [Greater Accra Metropolitan Area] project provided 3,300 household toilets. That is also part of the cleanliness projects we have undertaken,” she added.
Source: Osumanu Al-Hassan
