Alhaji Aliu Mahama the Vice-President has said government, is to provide water for rural and small urban communities in the Atebubu district, in conjunction with the European Union(EU) under the Atebubu Small Township Water System. The project commenced in March this year, at a cost of ?10 billion.

He expressed the hope that the project, which would be commissioned soon, would relegate the hitherto water shortages at Atebubu and environs to an end.

Aliu Mahama said this in a speech read on his behalf by the deputy Brong Ahafo regional Minister, Mr. Yaw Adjei Duffuor, at Prang in the Brong Ahafo region.

He said 103 boreholes would also be drilled in 70 communities throughout the district at a total cost of about ?4.4 billion.

“As I speak now, feasibility studies are being carried out at drilling sites where it is hoped water could be available,” he said.

Projects approved for the Prang area include the ?2.5 billion Prang water project, construction of two No. 3 - unit classroom block, office and store at Prang L/A primary and Danufawa L/A primary schools each at a cost of ?175 million, two No. 20 hole septic toilets at Prang west and east and a ?2.5 billion new market.

The Vice-President said the Prang-Kintampo road, “which has been negatively impacting on smooth socio-economic activities”, had also been awarded on contract for re-gravelling and spot filling.

He disclosed that in order to create jobs for the youth the government was making efforts to construct small irrigation schemes at Konkrompe and Watro for vegetable production.

He recounted that government interventions to reduce poverty in the rural areas, including the Emergency Social relief Programme (ESRP), the Highly Indebted Poor Countries Initiative (HIPC) and the Presidential Initiative on Industrial Cassava Cultivation (PIICC) had started yielding positive results. The Vice-President mentioned that under the ERSP ?300 million had been released to women engaged in food crops purchase and sales and ?1 billion allocated to each of the 110 districts from funds accruing from the HIPC Initiative.

“This is ample proof of our government’s commitment to turn things around for the betterment of our dear country.

“Besides it has also debunked the fears of the doubting Thomases that the benefits of the HIPC Initiative to the country were only a farce”.