Koforidua, Nov 4, GNA - Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, the Eastern Regional Minister, on Wednesday, reiterated the Government's commitment provide potable water and improve sanitation for all communities to reduce the incidence of diseases, particularly malaria.

He, therefore, encouraged investors and foreign partners and assured them that they would receive the necessary support in the area of water and sanitation delivery for the people. Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said available reports indicated that 75 percent of all Out Patient Department (OPD) cases at health facilities in the country were malarial cases and too much resource were being spent on treatment. That, he said, was unacceptable so the improvement of water and sanitation were critical to the government in its quest for a better Ghana for all.

Mr Ofosu-Ampofo was addressing a delegation from the Lansing Regional Sister Cities Commission, (USA) who paid a courtesy call on him at his residency to brief him on the introduction of a water technology by the team to purify water for households in the Akuapem South District. He told the delegation that the region apart from contributing to the largest export commodity, cocoa, in the country, also produces mangoes and pineapples in large quantities but could not be processed due to lack of technology and that situation was affecting the farmers. Mr Ofosu-Ampofo, therefore, solicited the support of the delegation in the areas of industries and small technologies to process the produce. The Lansing Sister Cities Commission started a relationship with the Akuapem South District in 1998 and has since helped in the areas of Health, Sanitation and the Empowerment of people in the remote areas. The group has visited Ghana on several occasions and each visit has a specific purpose towards development. These include donations for Education; Infrastructure; HIV and AIDS Sensitization; and Support and Provision of Health Facilities in the communities.

The Chairperson of the Commission, Mrs Barbara Roberts Mason, said a total of 150,000 dollars, this time, was to be invested, especially in the areas of water and sanitation and other projects that would be beneficial to the people.

She said the water technology known as Hydro-Aid Water Filters was a domestic filtration system subsidized under the relationship to be affordable for all households in the area to purchase to purify their water for a healthy living.

Mrs Mason said an expert among the delegation would train people locally on the installation and distribution, in conjunction with the district assembly, to create jobs for the people as well. 04 Nov. 09