Mr. Oppong Nkrumah (middle) addressing the media. With him are his two deputy ministers, Ama Dokuaa Asiamah Agyei, (left) and Pius Enam Hadzide
CABINET HAS reportedly approved a $30 million Indian Export-Import (EXIM) Bank water project for Yendi in the Northern Region of Ghana.
Minister of Information Kojo Oppong Nkrumah made the announcement yesterday at a press conference in Accra. He said the approval follows the recent peace process in the area in relation to the funerals of Yaa-Naa Mahamadu Abdulai IV and Yaa-Naa Yakubu II.
“The project is to be financed through a credit facility agreement between the Government of Ghana and the Indian Exim Bank,” he stated.
The Yendi Water Supply Project Expansion is expected to take 30 months to be completed.
Coverage Area
According to the minister, “the Yendi Water Supply system serves the Yendi Municipality and other surrounding towns and villages.”
He indicated that the system takes its raw water from River Daka which flows through a water-treatment facility built in 1961.
However, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah said as a result of the population and economic growth in the Yendi Municipality, it has become necessary to expand the existing water supply system to meet the demands of beneficiary towns and communities.
He disclosed that the expansion of the water supply system was also in line with government’s policy to ensure that by 2030 all people living in Ghana have potable water.
“The provision of potable water to over one hundred and thirty-three thousand (133,000) people through the Yendi project will be a giant step towards achieving this objective,” he added.
Potential Benefits
Mr. Oppong Nkrumah underscored that government was delighted in the project because the Yendi Municipality, among other things, contributes to the agricultural sector of Ghana through the production of food and cash crops in large scale, and the presence of iron ore deposits in the catchment area.
He said: “The supply of potable water would therefore be an impetus to increase production and boost the mining potential.”
Scope Of Work
According to the minister, the project would involve the construction of a 15,000m3/day (3.3MGD), construction of a 25km transmission pipelines, construction of water booster station, construction of reservoirs and rehabilitation and extension of distribution networks, approximately 50km.
More Developmental Projects
The minister revealed that more developmental projects are in the pipeline for Yendi and they shall be announced in due course.
He observed that “it is our expectation as a government that the current peaceful air blowing in Yendi after the successful roadmap will help speed up the implementation of this project for citizens in the area.”
BY Melvin Tarlue