Guinness Ghana commissions GH¢ 360,000 Alogboshie Water Health Center

Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited (GGBL) has commissioned a GH¢360, 000 Water Health Centre for the people of Alogboshie – a suburb of Achimota as part of its Water of Life programme.

The project, funded by GGBL and the Diageo Foundation, will serve the water needs of approximately 15,000 residents of the community which is about 500 meters from GGBL's Achimota brewery.

Speaking at the event, held Monday, March 30, 2015, Peter Ndegwa, Managing Director of GGBL said, "over the last 8 years, we have invested in sustainably providing access to clean drinking water for vulnerable communities across the country through our Water of Life programme. We are launching this facility today in line with our renewed commitment to invest and empower communities in which we directly operate in or source local raw materials from. This facility complements earlier efforts by our employees who volunteered and constructed a classroom block for the Alogboshie community school as well as a CHIPPS compound for the community.  GGBL remains committed to growing local communities through our community investment programmes”.  

Commenting on Diageo's investment in Africa and Ghana, Lynne Smethurst, Diageo Foundation and Community manager said, "the Diageo Foundation has invested in Ghana over the last 8 years improving access to clean drinking water and sanitation. Quite recently, GGBL and the Foundation conducted an assessment of the programme to determine its overall impact across health care delivery and reduction in waterborne diseases, women empowerment, jobs and livelihoods supported. Results indicate that the programme, in communities where we are active, have contributed immensely to the reduction in reported cases of water borne diseases, a reported 92% increase in school attendance by girls and a 33% reduction in the time used by women in sourcing water. These indeed are results we are very proud of”.

WaterHealth Centres house water purification equipment to treat locally available water through a combination of sedimentation, pre-filtration and ultra violet technology.

Each Centre produces World Health Organization quality water that is made available for a nominal usage fee on site, or pumped to additional distribution points depending on the size and density of the community

Emmanuel Nii Kumah, the Chief of Alogboshie thanked GGBL for investing in his community and remaining true to its commitment to develop communities in which it operates.