By Christiana Afua Nyarko
Accra, Oct. 6, GNA – The Executive Director of the Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE), David Nyante, has urged engineers of Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) to prioritise policies that protect water, and its equitable access.
Mr Nyante said such policy frameworks and their effective implementation would create an enabling environment for engineers to innovate and implement sustainable solutions that would ensure water sustainability and supply.
“Government policies and regulations are instrumental in shaping the direction of sustainable water management. Engineers must advocate policies that promote water
conservation, environmental protection and equal access to clean water,” he said.
He said this at the maiden Conference and launch of the Association of Ghana Water Limited Engineers (AGWLE) at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Accra.
The two-day conference was under the theme: “The pivotal role engineers play in sustainable water management”.
Mr Nyante said for GCWL to empower its engineers, it was important that they were capacitated in emerging technologies and best practices in water management.
He said it was also necessary to encourage young people to pursue careers in engineering for “fresh perspectives and innovative solutions” geared towards effective water management in the country.
“Building a sustainable future begins with nurturing the next generation of engineers. We must inspire and
encourage young minds to pursue careers in engineering and environmental sciences…the GCWL should play a leading role in providing training opportunities for engineers to stay at the fore front of water management innovation,” he said.
The conference is expected to serve as a platform to discuss key challenges that GWCL engineers face in their task of water treatment and come up with innovative solutions to tackle them.
Mr. Clifford Braimah, Managing Director of the Ghana Water Company Limited, said the conference was crucial to the realisation of the sustainable development goal six of boosting access to water and sanitation.
The challenges that featured in the discussion included the ageing of water supply infrastructure and distribution systems, climate change and its impact on water availability, pollution of water sources and the threats to water quality, changing long-standing cultural practices
and behaviours related to water use and conservation, and limited financial resource inhibiting investment in critical water infrastructural project.
The conference also saw the official launch of AGWLE and the swearing-in of its new twenty-four executive members and regional representatives as well as a document on Standard Operating Procedure for Distribution Operations.
Mr. Richard Appiah Otoo, President of AGWLE, spoke to journalists on plans to research into local techniques and develop solutions that would enhance water purification and distribution.
“It is something that our research and development department would look at to explore to see how well we can use bioremediation local solutions to improve water supply to Ghanaians,” he said.
GNA