Kumasi, July 15, GNA - The Ghana Water and Sewerage Corporation (GWSC), now Ghana Water Company (GWC), has transferred the ownership and management of small town water systems to district assemblies in the Ashanti region. Nine district chief executives signed a memorandum of understanding to this effect with GWC.

The districts are: Adansi West, Amansie West, Afigya Sekyere, Ejura-Sekyedomase, Sekyere East, Atwima, Ejisu-Juaben, Asante Akim and Amansie East. According to Mr Charles Adjei, Managing Director of GWC, the signing of the memorandum means that the communities would manage their own water supply systems.

There would, be a transitional period of 12 months, during which the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) would provide technical assistance and mobilise funds to rehabilitate broken down systems.

The signing of the memorandum was, however, preceded by a tussle between the DCE's and the GWC with most of the DCE's reluctant to sign and alleging that they were not given any briefing on the issue, neither did they know what was entailed in the memorandum.

Mr Adjei explained that the water supply system was undergoing restructuring, aimed at involving the private sector in urban water supply operations and introducing ownership and management of water systems to rural communities.

He said in line with this, the GWSC in April 1998 engaged the services of a consultant to develop full implementation arrangements for the transfer.

A conference held on the consultant's report in 1998, which was attended by district chief executives, members of parliament and various stakeholders in the water industry, after which a communique was issued to form the basis of the transfer.

Mr Adjei, therefore, expressed shock at the DCE's claim of not having any knowledge of the issue. Mr Kojo Yankah, Ashanti Regional Minister, in an address read on his behalf, said the government recognising the health benefits of good water supply to the people is committed to providing potable water to all Ghanaians within the shortest possible time.

He said it is in this respect that it constantly reviews strategies for the management of and investment in the water sector, which is shown by privatisation and the change of the status of the Ghana Water and Sewerage Corporation into a limited liability company.

The Regional Minister said it is the government's conviction that grassroots participation in the management of social facilities, such as water supply, would engender a strong feeling of ownership of these facilities by the communities.

Mr Yankah appealed to the management of GWC to undertake the rehabilitation of all broken down water systems before they hand over. He expressed the hope GWC would assist the assemblies to develop the capacity to manage the systems efficiently.