Rural Water Coverage improves from 24% to 64.29% in Upper East Region — CWSA

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Community Water Sanitation Agency (CWSA), Mr Aloysius Adjetey, has disclosed that rural water coverage, which stood at 24% in 1990 has improved to 64.29% in the Upper East Region.

The CEO said since the National Community Water and Sanitation Programme (NCWSP) was launched in 1994, significant achievements have been made in the safe water and sanitation services sector in the Region.

He disclosed that 3,729 boreholes fitted with hand pumps, 543 hand-dug wells also fitted with hand pumps and 83 pipe systems have been provided for communities in the region.

Mr Adjetey added that the establishment of the CWSA has also brought about the installation of 8,519 household latrines and 247 institutional latrines throughout the region.

That, he said, contributed to boosting the health and well-being of the people in the region.

He said this during the 25th-anniversary celebration of the CWSA in Chiana of the Kasena-Nankana West District of the Upper East Region.

The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Stephen Yakubu said, “Access to safe water and sanitation is the most basic human right and necessity around which every facet of development evolves.”

He said the government, through the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, is championing the vision of everyone, everywhere in Ghana to have clean, adequate, affordable and safe drinking water, decent toilets and good hygiene by 2030.

The Paramount Chief of Chiana Traditional Area and the President of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs, Pe Ditundini Adiali Ayagitam III, commended the CWSA for their efforts in providing safe drinking water in the Region.

The Kassena-Nankana West DCE, Mr Gerard Ataogye, said the CWSA has constructed four Small Towns Water Systems in four major towns - Paga, Sirigu, Chiana and Katiu.