Assembly Man Calls For Implementation Of President's Free Water Supply In Electoral Area

The Assemblyman for the Canteen Electoral Area, Hon. Ananpansah B Abraham has called on the West Gonja Municipal Water board to allow his electorates free access to water in line with the president's directive.

In a letter addressed to the Municipal Manager of the Ghana Water Company and copied to PAD FM, he said it was imperative for residents to regularly wash their hands as prescribed by the Ghana Health Service and access to water was key in achieving this.

He thus called on the Municipal Water Manager to stop billing residents for water they fetched from the two mechanized boreholes in the electoral area managed by the Ghana Water Company.

According to him, his electoral area deserves to also benefit from the three months free water supply spanning April, May, and June.

"The Canteen Electoral Area currently operates two mechanized boreholes under the management of the Ghana Water Company.

Residents pay before fetching water from these boreholes and the revenue is collected by the Municipal Directorate of the Ghana Water Company.

In line with the president’s pronouncement, I wish to impress on your good office to direct your water vendors and revenue collectors to stop selling the water to electorates.

This would enable us to regularly wash our hands as required by the Ghana Health Service and the World Health Organization," he said.

He lamented the lack of proper management of the facilities in the area coupled with the revenue leakages and wastage of the water-borne out of damaged but unrepaired taps, supply tubes, pipelines inter alia.

The challenges of the damaged parts of the boreholes he noted have been tabled severely before the water board for repairs to no avail.

According to him, upon assumption of office, he has organized several stakeholders' meetings on proper water resource management with focus on the World Vision funded mechanized boreholes.

This led to the formation of a Community Water Management Committee which has since been working on several recommendations.

He appealed to the water board to work closely with the interim Water Management Committee in the larger community interest.

The issues of damaged parts of the boreholes he said have been on the table of the water board for long and ought to be resolved.

The Assembly Man who has since been embarking on sensitization tours to some communities in the electoral area in the wake of the novel Coronavirus admonished electorates to follow the directives of the Ghana Health Service.

The president in his fifth address to the nation on Sunday, April 5, 2020, indicated it would take care of the water bills for all Ghanaians for three months following an increase in the country’s COVID-19 cases amidst a partial lockdown of the epicenters of the virus.

“Again, the Ghana water company limited and the electricity company of Ghana has been directed to ensure a stable water and electricity supply during this period.

In addition, there will be no disconnection of supply. Furthermore, the government will absorb the water bills for all Ghanaians for the next three months, i.e., April, May, and June. All water tankers, publicly and privately owned, are also going to be mobilized to ensure the supply of water to vulnerable communities”. the president disclosed.

Ghana's case count currently stands at 378 with six deaths and three full recoveries.