President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced on Friday that the government has secured €30 million Euros from Belgium to fund the construction of the Wenchi Water System in the Bono region.
The project is to be executed by ASPAC International, a Ghanaian owned company, within 36 months.
On completion, the Wenchi Water project would pump about 10,000 cubic meters of potable water for the more than 92,500 residents.
Currently, the Wenchi Municipality gets its water supply from mechanised groundwater systems.
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 winning.
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 One Factory (1D1F) initiative to open up the area to create economic opportunities for the people.
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The President advised the people to continue to comply with government’s directives and restrictions on the Covid-19 and strictly adhere to health and safety protocols such as regularly washing their hands with soap under running water, using hand sanitizers, observing social distancing and avoiding handshakes to stem the spread.
The Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Mrs Cecilia Abena Dapaah, 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.
The Akyeamehene (chief linguist) of Wenchi, Nana Damoah Konasane Aduse Poku Kofabaaye IV, 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.