The government has secured a 40-million-dollar facility from the French government to tap water from the Volta Lake at Anyaboni, near Asesewa, to ensure constant water supply to the Koforidua Municipality.

The three-year project, which is to begin by the end of the first quarter of next year, involved the provision of a floating water intake mechanism, which would also supply water to some communities in the Manya and Yilo Krobo districts along the pipe-line route.

The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Yaw Barimah, announced this when he was led to the Intake Point on Friday by officials of the Ghana Water Company(GWC) as part of his first official visit to the Region.

Mr. Barimah, who is also the MP for Koforidua, was accompanied by the Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Mr. Gustav Narh Dometey, the New Juaben Municipal Chief Executive, Mr. Kwasi Agyei Boateng, the Acting Managing Director of the GWC, Mr Jonathan Nunoo, the Chief Director of the Ministry of Works and Housing, Mr Ohene Okai and the Omanhene of the New Juaben Traditional Area, Daasebre Dr. Oti Boateng.

He said the facility was obtained by President John Agyekum Kufuor, during his recent state visit to France.

The Chief Manager in-charge of Planning and Development of the GWC, Mr Emmanuel Ofosu, had earlier conducted the Minister and his entourage round the Densuagya Water Intake and Koforidua Treatment Points serving the Koforidua Municipality.

He reported that the government had also secured a Spanish facility of 10 million dollars for the rehabilitation of six water supply systems in the Eastern Region, serving Koforidua, Anum-Boso, Nkawkaw, Nsawam, Asamankese and Akyem Swedru, adding that the facility would help increase the daily Koforidua water supply from 1.2 million gallons to more than 2.4 million gallons.

According to him, the first phase of the Anyaboni Water Intake facility would involve the construction of the floating intake mechanism and also lead to the provision of an additional reservoir at Koforidua.

Later during a courtesy call on Daasebre Oti Boateng, Mr. Barimah recalled that during his manifesto in the 1996 and 2000 elections, he assured the people of his determination to work towards the solution of the perennial Koforidua municipality, which affected development and investment.

He called for unity and partnership between the traditional and political authorities to promote development in the area. Daasebre Oti Boateng, gave the assurance that with the solution of the water problem, both citizens abroad and foreign investors would come to invest in the area.