The 30,000 plus people of Assin North Municipality will within the next three months taste pipe-borne water after 40 years of failed efforts by governments to provide them with the basic necessity.
The European Union (EU) started the current project but had to abandon it for lack of funds, however, the Government of Ghana voted GH¢3,000,000.00 under its “Sustainable Rural Water and Sanitation Project” (SRWSP) to facilitate its completion by July.
Currently, majority of the residents depend on hand-dug wells and streams for water and experts say cholera and other water borne diseases are rampant in the area.
The project is part of the World Bank-sponsored International Development Agency (IDA)’s SRWSP being implemented in seven regions.
They are the Ashanti, Upper East, Upper West, Brong-Ahafo, Northern and Western regions.
It is to expand access to and ensure sustainable water supply and sanitation services in small communities.
In the Central Region the Ghana Water and Sanitation Agency (GWSA) is implementing it in 13 districts, namely, Upper Denkyira East, Upper Denkyira West, Awutu Senya, Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa,
Twifo-Hemang-Lower-Denkyira, Assin South, Assin North, Agona East, Efutu, Mfantsiman, Gomoa East, Gomoa West and Cape Coast.
At the launch of a workshop to build the capacities of Assembly Members and other stakeholders in the Assin North Municipality to help sustain the project, the Regional CWSA Engineer, Mr Henry Asangbah, called for proper acquisition of land for the location of boreholes to forestall future conflicts.
The workshop will be replicated in all the 13 beneficiary districts to orientate assembly members and other stakeholders in the water and sanitation sector to access, maintain and sustain the facilities in their respective areas.
He advised that boreholes be appropriately sited and should not be close to cemeteries and refuse dumps to avoid contamination of water.
The regional hydro-geologist, Mr Gustav Osiakwan, called for a good environmental management plan to prevent pollution during and
after the sinking of boreholes.
He noted that inadequate supply of water and sanitation facilities were problems throughout the district and urged all stakeholders to play their expected roles to make the projects useful.
Mrs Pauline Abrefi Oppong, Extension Services Specialist of the CWSA, for her part, reminded the people that: “Water is Life and
Sanitation, Dignity.”
Therefore, they should ensure the continuous maintenance of the projects while they keep good personal and environmental hygiene to avoid contracting communicable or water borne diseases.
The Municipal Chief Executive for Assin North, Mr Alex Antwi-Boasiako, urged assembly members to desist from playing politics with the supply of water in their areas and urged them to work assiduously to achieve the Millennium Development Goals in the Municipality.