GH¢50m water project for Upper West commenced

The sod has been cut for the commencement of a GH¢50 million small-town piped water project for the Upper West Region at Wechiau in Wa (Upper West Region) over the weekend.

It is under the sustainable rural water and sanitation project (SRWSP) which will benefit a total of 120,000 people. It comprises 550 boreholes to be fitted with hand pumps, 20 piped water systems and 110 improved sanitation facilities.

The project (funded by the World Bank and the Government of Ghana) will benefit a total of 525 communities, 55 basic schools and is scheduled to be completed by the end of December 2015.

Cutting the sod, the Upper West Regional Minister, Dr Ephraim Avea Nsoh, said this was out of the government's commitment to site such projects in the country to reduce poverty through the reduction in disease prevalence, especially among children.

Dr Nsoh said in the Wa West District alone, the SRWSP would cover 55 boreholes with hand pumps, 10 improved latrines in five schools and a piped water system at Wechiau at the cost of GH¢1414,300. He mentioned some of the beneficiary towns and communities as Nadowli, Lambussie, Nator, Hamille and Happa. The rest are Issa, Wellembelle, Sombo, Kpongu, Piina, Manwe and Goripe, among others.

The regional minister pointed out that there would be no room for shoddy work, and, therefore, called on the various district assemblies to cooperate with the various contractors because should the projects not be completed on schedule, the funds would be 'returned to chest.'

The regional minister then inaugurated four projects valued at GH¢351,639.60.  They comprised a medical doctor's residence, semi-detached nurses flats and police bungalows.

The Wa West District Chief Executive, Mr Dasaana Adamu, expressed his satisfaction for the projects, since it had come at a time the people were in dire need of potable water (people were suffering from water-borne diseases such as bilharzias, diarrhoea, cholera, among others). 

He expressed his profound gratitude to those who released land for the projects, and also called for the co-operation of all stakeholders, including chiefs, for the work to be completed on schedule.