By Emmanuel Mensah-Abludo
The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, says the government has invested about $740 million in water systems in communities across the country under its “water for all policy”.
He continued that over the last five years, there has been a remarkable increase in access to water.
Vice President Dr Bawumia made the announcement when he commissioned the Numa Purified Water System under the Enhancing WASH Project at Tuna in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District.
The Tuna water system is an initiative of 4WARD Development West Africa, a private sector player providing safe and innovative water services to complement the public sector. 4WARD Development West Africa works in collaboration with USAID and Global Communities.
The Water for All Policy of the government hinges on Sustainable Development Goal number 6, which relates to clean water and sanitation for all.
The Upper West and Savannah Regional Director of 4WARD Development West Africa, Ahmed Yekini, who gave an overview of the company’s operations, said in 2023 they will build an additional 15 water systems in their operational areas in the two regions to increase access to safe and reliable water.
The Chief of Tuna, Safo Mahama Amantana, was hopeful that the partnership between Tuna and 4WARD Development West Africa would be maintained and appealed that water services should be extended to other neighbouring communities.
The chief equally put a cocktail of requests before the Vice President, ranging from roads, upgrading of electricity fencing at the local senior high school, a policlinic to office and residential accommodation for the police.
The Vice President observed that although Ghana has made some strides in relation to water and sanitation country wide, a lot more needs to be done because we are yet to attain 100%. He said Ghana has not recorded any case of cholera in the last five years because of the significant investment in water and sanitation.
The Vice President emphasised that in the area of access to water, the private sector has an important role to play and commended 4WARD Development West Africa for its intervention.
