The Board of Directors of the World Bank has approved an additional financing of US$50 million to the Government of Ghana, as a supplement to the ongoing Urban Water Project.

The Bank is financing the Urban Water Project with a US$103 million grant.

A WB statement issued to the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Friday explained that the additional facility was to help complete the original project activities that had suffered from unanticipated cost overruns and financing gap of about US$42 million.

It will also help implement an additional lot of works that will scale up the project’s impact to deprived areas at a cost of US$8 million.

Ventura Bengoechea, Task Team Leader of the WB Urban Water Project said: “The additional financing approved by the Board of the World Bank will allow the project to fully achieve and even exceed the targets that were originally contemplated with regard to people gaining access to water in selected urban areas throughout the country”.

He said the additional facility will fund outstanding works in Berekum in the Brong Ahafo Region, Bawku and Navrongo in the Upper East Region for which tender documents already exist.

He said the Berekum works consisted of boreholes, a potable water plant to remove iron and disinfect water, two elevated storage tanks and water distribution pipes.

The Navrongo works also consist of boreholes, a booster pump station, two elevated storage tanks and water distribution pipes, whilst the Bawku works also consist of boreholes, a potable water plant, two elevated storage tanks and water distribution pipes.

Also, additional funds will be allocated for the expansion and improvement of water distribution network that serves Winneba and several surrounding communities, including Apam, Ankamu, Mprumem, Mankoadze, Ankaful, Pomadze and Okyereko in the Central Region.

The additional works will consist of the rehabilitation and extension of water distribution pipes and the construction of a new elevated water tank and a booster pump station.

Increasing access to improved water supply remains a priority for the Government of Ghana, while significant efforts have been made over the past decade to make potable water more accessible and affordable to Ghana’s ever-growing urban centers.**