Boniface: Water can’t be supplied for free

The Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources, Alhaji Abubakar Saddique Boniface has called on Ghanaians to do away with the perception that water is a social commodity and must be provided by the government free of charge.

According to the Minister, the perception has made people to misuse the commodity, adding that water is now a commercial commodity that people should be prepared to purchase at a fee to make consumers more responsible.

Alhaji Abubakar Saddique said this during a working visit to the Abesim Head works water facility in the Brong Ahafo region.

He announced that government had secured a US$92 million loan to expand the Abesim Head works which currently supplies 1.45million gallons of treated water daily to about 175,000 people in the Regional capital and its environs.

The expansion work, scheduled to be completed in about two years time would produce 9.68million gallons daily to a projected population of 400,000 people.

Alhaji Abubakar Saddique explained that the loan document had been laid before Cabinet for approval and onward submission to parliament, adding that its components include US$62 million which is a commercial credit and US$30 million, which is also a commercial soft loan.

He said it was a priority of the government to provide water to the people and they would ensure that Ghanaians enjoy good and treated water. He hinted that plans were far advanced for the expansion of other water facilities in the region, such as the Berekum Headworks.

According to the Minister, the Abesim Headworks which was built in 1962 had not seen any expansion work. The increasing human population of Sunyani and its environs has forced the Ghana Water Company to ration water to its consumers, and the Tano river which is the source is usually almost dry during the Dry seasons.