The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), has defended its decision to spend about GHc30 million in constructing 500 boreholes in selected communities across the country.<\/p>\n
According to the Director of Public Affairs for the PURC, Nana Yaa Gyantuah, the projects which are yet to commence, are \u201cintegrated water systems\u201d saying the cost of such projects are higher than normal boreholes.<\/p>\n
Speaking on Eyewitness News<\/strong> on Tuesday, Nana Yaa Gyantuah said the Public Procurement Authority, has given them the green light to execute the project on sole sourcing basis.<\/p>\n [contextly_sidebar id=”U4Q1QlNDFKh6V3F75nNjGuf0DQ4lm7d9″]\u201cI am saying that the PPA has approved it,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n Nana Gyantuah made the comment in response to the New Patriotic Party’s claims that the cost of the project has been bloated.<\/p>\n Speaking at a press conference in Accra, a former General Secretary of the NPP, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, said the amount has been inflated by the Mahama-led administration to enable them\u00a0siphon state <\/a>funds<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0for its campaign activities.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is in the light of this that a Public Utility Regulatory Commission letter dated 6th<\/sup> October,2016, requesting for a \u2018single-sourced procurement approval for PURC\u2019S pro-poor water project\u2019 shows the danger that our cash is in under Mahama. In the said letter, it is stated \u2018the commission is seeking approval to single-source contractors to construct bore-holes in selected deprived communities.\u2019 The letter continues \u2018the total cost of the project for the 500 bore-holes is GH\u00a230million.\u2019 And, no matter where the borehole is being dug, the rate per unit is quoted at GH\u00a260,000. This, ladies and gentlemen, is four times, the market rate,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n He also insisted that the amount for each borehole should not be more than GHc18, 000.<\/p>\n But Gyantuah said integrated water systems have a lot of components and cannot be less than GHc 18,000 and thus challenged the NPP to provide contrary evidence.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat they are talking about is the normal mechanized borehole without lines. If there is anyone out there who thinks that an integrated water system will cost less [GHc18,000] we don\u2019t have a problem the people should come,\u201d she challenged.<\/p>\n She said the project will have electronic submersible pumps that will carry the water to some installed tanks, and pipelines connecting standing pipes in the communities as well as a pump house.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have to do geophysical studies, chemical analysis of the water, that is in the ground because it is going to a whole community,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n –<\/p>\n By: Godwin A. Allotey\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana
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