Accra, June 24 GNA - Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, Minister of Works and Housing, on Thursday presented 300 PVC pipes valued at 523 million cedis as Government's contribution to Ashale-Botwe/Nmaidjorn Water Project being undertaken through self-help.

The Project is in three phases started this month and would take three months to complete. It covers a distances of 9.2 kilometres, starting from Reiss Junction, near Madina to the University of Ghana Farms at Nmaidjorn in Accra.

Alhaji Ali Idris said the Government had also pledged an additional one billion cedis from the highly Indebted Poor Countries Fund (HIPC) Fund to support the Project.

He said the provision of potable water to deprive communities was the number one priority of the Government.

The Minister announced that Government was also sourcing 100 million dollars loan from the International Development Agency of the World Bank to improve water systems in seven Regions of the country. He commended the water committee set up by the people in the area for their initiative adding that it was a good idea for the people to try and find solution to their problems rather than always relying on the Government.

Alhaji Ali Idris also called on the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) to braze itself up to handle the contractor in case he was not able to complete the project by the end of October. Mr Samuel Odartey Lamptey, Managing Director of GWCL, said for now the supply of the water to the area would be rationed until the project was completed.

He said the Company was also making plans to extend water from the Weija Treatment Plant to increase the water supply to Eastern Accra.