Five Districts in the Volta region covering about 183 communities are benefiting from a €11.5 million water project to complete the third phase of the much talked about Five District Water Project.
The third phase of the Project which’s sod was cut on Tuesday, September 1, 2020 by President Akufo-Addo, will also provide portable water to about 89,107 people in the five districts, namely Central Tongu, North Tongu, Adaklu, Agotime-Ziope and Ho West Districts.
Speaking at the sod-cutting in Adaklu-Anfoe, the President noted that Phase III project which is being financed by a concessionary credit facility from the Raiffeisenbank International of Vienna, Austria will transport water through 132 kilometres of transmission and distribution pipelines to serve communities, such as “Dadoboe, Mawoekpor, Mafi Zongo, Mafi Kutime, Mafi Kumase, Avedo Bakpa, Kpoviadzi, Adidome, Kanikope, Bagalikope and Manase Zongo.” which did not .
The Project which will increase water coverage in the region by 5.6% will see to the installation of booster stations, elevated concrete tanks, health and hygiene education and environmental and social safeguards.
The President was gratified that the burden and time spent in search for water will be greatly reduced, especially for women and children.
The project will further reduce “affliction of water-borne diseases; and maximise the social and health benefits of clean, safe and reliable drinking water”.
He was hopeful that “with the availability of potable water in these communities, investors will take advantage of Government’s Flagship Programmes, such as “One- District, One-Factory”, to establish small and medium scale factories to create jobs for the youth and grow the local economy.
He assured that everything will be done to ensure the project is completed on time to allow for the Phase IV to begin for the benefit of communities in the remaining two districts, i.e. North Tongu and Ho West.
The Paramount Chief of Adaklu Traditional Area, Togbe Gbogbi Atsa thanked the President for acting on their plea for water and fulfilling his promise to the area saying, “You Indeed Match your words with Action.”
According to him all the President’s visit to the area have brought “one development or the other.” He said “apart from working to solve our cry for portable water to our people, we have also witnessed efforts by your government to work on our poor road network in our traditional area.
Water and Sanitation Minister, Cecilia Dapaah stressed that the project although being the third phase, its funding was approved by the current government at both Cabinet and Parliamentary levels.
From Fred Duodu, Adaklu Anfoe (k.duodu@yahoo.com)