THE Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) is indebted to the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) to the tune of about ?1.7 billion as at December, 2000.

The amount represents two per cent charged to consumers’ bill at the end of every month towards the development of the rural water and sanitation project.

Mr Kofi Asamoah, Chief Executive of the CWSA, who disclosed this in an interview in Accra after the inauguration of the agency’s reconstituted nine-member board, said efforts are being made to retrieve the money from the GWCL.

The CWSA board is under the chairmanship of Mrs Cecilia Amoah of the Volta Basin Research Project and the Department of Botany, University of Ghana, Legon.

Other members are Dr Ellen Bortei-Doku Aryeetey, ISSER, Legon; Mr J. N. A. Nunoo, Ag Managing Director of the GWCL; Mr Kofi Asamoah, Chief Executive, CWSA; Mr B. A. Prempeh, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and Nana Ogeabour Akompi Finam II, Omanhene of Kadjebi.

The rest are Mr Ben Mensah, Deputy Managing Director, State Housing Company Limited; Mr Sam Baidoo, Ministry of Works and Housing and Mrs Agnes Akosua Philips, Associate Director, World Vision International.

Mr Asamoah said the agency is expecting ?4.3 billion from the GWCL this year and expressed the hope that the money will be forthcoming to enable the agency to embark on more projects.

On the performance of its transferred systems to the rural communities, Mr Asamoah said the agency is happy about the manner in which they are being handled by the communities.

He said some communities have even gone further to set up their own boards to handle the projects.

Reacting to the indebtedness, Mr Nunoo said the GWCL is in the process of negotiating payment with the agency adding that “we do not have any intention of keeping monies belonging to another agency, which is meant to improve the lives of the people.”

Inaugurating the board, Mr Kwamena Bartels, Minister of Works and Housing urged members to assist the ministry to review the national strategy for water and sanitation delivery in Ghana.

He said it is the target of the ministry to eliminate water-borne diseases completely which could lead to the reduction in poverty levels of rural communities.

Mr Bartels said “it is a reasonable conjecture that the elimination of the disease would naturally usher in a period of good health and economic boom.”

Mr Bartels asked the board to assist in initiating programmes for the agency and leave the implementation to its management.

Mrs Amoah in her response, thanked the President for the confidence reposed in them and pledged the commitment of the board to deliver up to expectation.