Accra, May 7, GNA - Increasing access to potable water and improved sanitation conditions are not only key to achieving good health, but also prerequisites for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Mr Joachim Schmitt, Counsellor, Development Cooperation at the Germany Embassy, said this made it imperative for his country to assist Ghana to ensure access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation conditions with special emphasis on the poor and vulnerable. He was speaking at a day's workshop to assess the impact of the Eastern and Volta Region Assistance Project (EVORAP), which entails the provision of potable water to small communities and towns on sustainable basis.

The project initiated 10 years ago ends in June 2008 and has so far assisted over 37 communities including Asesewa, Kpetoe and Akyem Sekyere.

Mr Schmitt said recent reforms undertaken by Germany had contributed significantly to improved access to water supply and sanitation services in small town and rural communities, adding that it was pleased to be associated with Ghana's effort at improving sustainable access to water, sanitation and HIV/AIDS awareness creation. "The German government, through its development agents KFW and GTZ, has partnered with the Ghana government to provide improved access to water for over 500,000 people in small and rural communities in the Eastern, Volta and Ashanti Regions," he said. He said a critical component of support was in the area of technical assistance to build capacity of implementing structures for sustainable operations and management.

"We believe that it is only through empowering the people to manage the system that sustainable access to water supply and improved sanitation conditions could be realized." Dr. Philip Gyau-Boakye. Chief Executive Officer, CWSA, said access to safe water supply could only be improved and sustained if existing facilities were kept in good condition.

"It is imperative that we work towards the development of capacity at the District and Community levels for the management of these facilities," he said.

He said the meeting would afford stakeholders the opportunity for sieving out best practices aimed at responding to the complex dynamics in the water sector.

"Most of the time, projects come and go and all the useful lessons and practices are thrown into oblivion, leading to re-invention of the wheel anytime there is a new project." He expressed his appreciation to the German government for contributing its quota towards the improvement of living standard of Ghanaians in rural communities and small towns. Mrs Felicia Haizel-Cobbina, Team Leader of EVAROP, said rural communities had demonstrated their commitment through the contribution of five per cent to a project cost in a particular community. She said community participation, gender mainstreaming, decentralized planning and implementation were some strategies adopted to ensure good management and sustainability of facilities provided.