Government has in the last five years, invested over $1 billion in the water sector, President Mahama has revealed.
The made the revelation when he officially inaugurated Ghana’s first ever desalination water project located at Nungua in Accra.
“Over the past five years we have spent more than $1 billion dollars on water supply projects across the country alone. We have therefore achieve an average water access of coverage of 76% with good drinking water.”
The Teshie –Nungua Water Desalination Plant Project is expected to deliver over 13 million gallons of water a day to Teshie, Nungua and surrounding areas from treated seawater.
According to the President, the decision to invest massively in provision of potable water to the populace is a deliberate one by government as a measure of improving the lives of Ghanaians.
The Project which was completed at the cost of one hundred and fifteen million dollars was undertaken to supplement the shortfall in water production in the Accra Tema Metropolitan area.
Inaugurating the project President Mahama took time to dispel rumors that the treated water from the plant was not good for consumption.
The Project which was undertaken on a build-Own-Operate and transfer basis was implemented by messrs Befesa Desalination Development Ghana Limited of Spain in collaboration with Ghana Water Company under the auspices of the ministry of water Resources, Works and Housing.
President Mahama commended the partners involved and called for measures to be put in place maintenance at all times. He further says government will continue to invest in the provision of potable water to the populace.
He said “we are still on course and we will continue to roll out many more projects to improve water supply both to rural and urban populations in our country.”
He noted that “the names of certain communities in this country have been associated with water scarcity. Over the last 20 years if you mention Teshie Nungua or Adenta, the image that comes into your mind is water scarcity…that is why the foresight and the decision to engineer this project is to be celebrated. The solution to this absence of water in these areas has eluded many governments in the past. Our agenda for transformation cannot be attained if our communities do not receive and benefit from the minimum required levels of basic social services.”
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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey & Richard Mensah/citifmonline.com/Ghana