Yendi (N/R), Aug 3, GNA - The Church of the Christ Rural Water Development Project (CCRWDP) has drilled 260 boreholes at the cost of 12 billion cedis in 245 guinea worm endemic communities in 10 districts of Northern Region.

The beneficiary districts include Yendi, Saboba/Chereponi, Zabzugu/Tatale, East Gonja, Karaga, West Gonja, Nanumba, Gushiegu, Tolon/Kumbungu and Savelugu/Nanton Districts.

The project Director of CCRWDP, Mr Nathaniel N.S. Adams announced these when he addressed a day's workshop on hand pump repairs organised by Project in collaboration with UNICEF and USAID for hand pump mechanics and hand pump caretakers at Yendi.

Mr Adams said the 63 participants were drawn from the 10 Districts to undergo the training in the management and repairs of the boreholes in their communities.

He said UNICEF had played very important role in securing United States Agency for International Development (USAID) financial assistance to boost the maintenance of the boreholes by securing hand pump spare parts valued at 92.2 million cedis.

He said the Church had constructed a warehouse to store the spare parts adding that hand pump spare parts programme had been initiated as a means of meeting the ever-increasing demand for hand pump spare parts by communities.

Mr Adams said all efforts should be made by all stakeholder to repair a broken down hand pumps within 72 hours to ensure continuous use of the facility. He said this would also bring about the eradication of guinea worm from the communities.

In an address read on behalf of the Yendi District Chief Executive, Alhaji Mohammed Habib Tijani, he said the objective of the workshop was to ensure that no hand pump broke down and remained unattended to for a long time.

He said the spare parts would be sold at subsidised prices and urged the technical men to make price list of the spares to communities to prevent middlemen from taking undue advantage of shortages to cheat on them.

Alhaji Tijani appealed to the Church to be conscious and cautious of people, who would frequently buy and stock spare parts just to deplete the stock in the warehouse and retail them at exorbitant prices.