A Non-Governmental Organization called, Water for Rural Africa has called on the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) and the government to expedite the re-opening of the Teshie Desalination plant.
GWCL ordered the shutdown of the plant effective January 1, 2018, for a renegotiation of the contractual agreement between the company and the managers of the plant, Messrs Befessa.
[contextly_sidebar id=”BYbjYn8hsyMDpf1etbYrWSAAWBVYIIw3″]Residents of Teshie, Nungua and other surrounding communities, have experienced poor quality and inconsistency in water supply to the area following the shutdown of the desalination plant.
According to them, they receive water only twice each week, which takes place at dawn, making life unbearable for them.
Speaking to Citi News, the Projects and Program Director of Water for Rural Africa Joachim Kumapley said the shutdown has greatly affected the people in the community.
He called for the contract negotiations between the government and the managers of the facility to be accelerated in order for consistent supply of quality water to the affected areas to resume,
“What we want the Ghana Water company and the government to do is that the re-negotiation that they want to do, we want it to be fast-track, because of some of the things because some these things can a lot of time if you know the legal implication of it,” he said.
About the desalination plant
The Accra desalination plant is located at Nungua in the Kpeshie district, and it is the first desalination plant built in Ghana.
It started commercial operation in March 2015 and was officially inaugurated in April 2015. The $125m project has a capacity to desalinate 60,000m3 of sea water daily, providing fresh water to more than 300,000 people in some municipalities of the Greater Accra Region.
It marked a significant step in improving drinking water facilities in the country, which is witnessing rapid population growth.
The plant was designed, constructed and is being operated by Befesa Desalination Developments Ghana, a joint venture of Abengoa Water Investments Ghana, Daye Water Investment (Ghana), and local partner Hydrocol.
Befesa operates and will maintain the plant for 25 years. Construction started in November 2012, creating 400 direct and indirect jobs in the region.
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By: Farida Yusif/citifmonline.com/Ghana