Nsawkaw (B/A) Jan. 19, GNA - Millicom Ghana Limited, operators of Ti= go, a telecommunication company has provided a borehole to Kokuroamoah, a farming community near Nsawkaw in the Tain District of the Brong Ahafo Region. The community with more than 1,000 people had depended on a stream fou= r kilometres away for a long time.

Opanin Kwasi Dargarti, Chief of Kokuroamoah, told the Ghana News Agenc= y that the community, which was more than 50 years old, lagged behind in development especially the provision of basic facilities. "Every resident's health is being compromised on daily basis becau= se of the poor quality of water we are forced to drink," he said. Opanin Dargarti explained that residents spent a lot of their income from their farming activities on treating water borne diseases. "We get sick everyday because we share water with domestic and other unknown animals and it is pathetic to see animals drinking from one side of the stream and human beings fetching water from the other side." Opanin Dargarti said an appeal for support the community made last year, attracted Millicom Ghana Limited, to construct the borehole for the people.

The United Way Ghana and Mission of Hope Society Foundation, two non-governmental organisations supported the project. Opanin Dargarti commended Millicom Ghana Limited for the support and appealed to other public-spirited individuals and organisations to come to the aid of Kokuroamoah.

Mr Titus Tettey Nanor, Public Relations and Promotions Co-ordinator of Tigo, who inaugurated the project, underscored the company's commitment t= o alleviate poverty in its operational areas.

He said Tigo's support to the community was part of Millicom's eff= orts at making Ghana meet the Millennium Development Goals of reducing the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water by 2015. Mr Nanor said Tigo had provided free health insurance registration package to a number of people in the community.

"Through our corporate social responsibility programme, several communities have also benefited from the construction of school buildings and boreholes with school children receiving free teaching and learning materials," he said.

Mr Nanor assured customers that Tigo would work hard to enhance and extend its network to reach more rural communities.