Wenchi (B/R), Sept. 11, GNA – The Government has secured 30 million Euros from Belgium to fund the construction of the Wenchi Water System in the Bono Region, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced on Friday.
Currently the Wenchi Municipality gets it water supply from mechanised ground water systems.
On completion, the Wenchi Water project, to be executed by ASPAC International, a Ghanaian owned company, within 36 months, would pump about 10,000 cubic meters of potable water for the more than 92,500 residents.
President Akufo-Addo said the provision of potable water remained a key priority of government and affirmed his administration’s commitment to protecting water bodies and waging the war against illegal and alluvial mining and sand weaning.
The President said this when he broke the ground for work to begin on the project at a durbar of the chiefs and people.
He acknowledged the immense contributions of the late Dr Kofi Abrefa Busia, Ghana’s former Prime Minister, towards national development and assured of his government’s support towards providing the development needs of the Municipality.
He called on investors to take advantage of the water project and participate in the One-District-Factory (1D1F) initiative to open up the area to create economic opportunities for the people.
President Akufo-Addo advised the people to continue to comply with government directives and restrictions on the COVID-19 and strictly adhere to health and safety protocols such as regular hand washing with soap under running water, use of hand sanitizers, observing social distancing and avoiding handshakes to stem the spread.
Mrs Cecilia Abena Dapaah, the Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, explained that the project was in line with government’s commitment to achieving the Goal-Six of the Sustainable Development Goals of improving access to potable drinking water.
She observed that only 14 per cent of the nation’s 11.7 trillion water resources had been harnessed for water provision, saying rivers Ankobra and Tano were regaining their purity because of government’s dedication in fighting illegal mining around water bodies.
Nana Damoah Konasane Aduse Poku Kofabaaye IV, Akyeamehene (chief linguist) of Wenchi, who welcomed the President, appealed for the rehabilitation of the Koase-Sunyani road and a cashew processing plant under the 1D1F initiative.
Earlier the President cut the sod for the construction of solid waste treatment facility at Nanketoa in the Sunyani Municipality.
GNA