Wechiau (U/W), June 3, GNA - Most community members in the newly created Wa West District compete with animals for water during the peak of the dry season due to inadequate water sources in the area.

As a result, water-borne diseases such as diarrhoea, guinea worm and bilharzias are prevalent in the area, thereby impoverishing the people further.

Mr Ambrose Dery, Upper West Regional Minister, said these at Wechiau when he launched the small town water supply and sanitation project on Thursday.

He announced that the Assembly had procured sanitary equipment at a total cost of 400 million cedis and expressed the hope that it would help to improve upon sanitation in the area.

The Regional Minister appealed to the leaders of various communities in the District to mobilise themselves in readiness for communal projects irrespective of their political affiliations.

"Don't allow your people to inject any political sentiments into your development projects, because the Government would not give projects based on party lineage", he warned.

Mrs Belindina B. Battir, Regional Director of Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA), advised the communities to always consult her outfit before going ahead to initiate sanitary projects.

"You have to also form vibrant and hardworking water management committees that would be able to solve your daily problems on your pumps" she advised.

She said in line with their policies, water and sanitation plans would be advanced to communities for careful study so as to take decisions that would be beneficial to them.

The Regional Minister later inspected development projects of the Wa West District Assembly.

He inspected the Wa West District administration block, staff bungalows and the renovation of bungalows for staff.