Nyariga (UE), April 7, GNA - Mr Mark Woyongo, Upper East Regional Minister, on Monday commissioned 13 wells in six districts in the region sponsored by Water Rotary Club in the United States of America with support from Rotary International.

The wells, which are all fitted with hand pumps, were constructed in collaboration with the Victory Assemblies of God at the cost of 49,563.00 Ghana cedis.

The beneficiary communities are Nyariga-Donne in the Bolgatanga Municipality, Boya Gumbo and Kamega in the Bawku West District, Misiga in the Bawku East District, Paga in the Kessena Nakana West District, Zorko, Namoo and Kassingo in the Bongo District and Baare in the Talensi Nabdam District.

The Coordinator of the Project, Reverend Emmanuel Atia of the Victory Assemblies of God Church said he initiated the project when he visited the USA.

He said the Tamale Rotary Club was used as the link through which the funding came. Rev. Atia said the modalities for the selection of the beneficiary communities included scarcity of potable water and the cooperation of the people from the communities.

Mr Woyongo, commissioning one of the projects at Nyariga-Donne in the Bolgatanga Municipality, lauded the Rotary club, the Church and the sponsors for complementing government's efforts at providing water for the people.

He said the wells would help the people to solve their water problem most of who had to travel long distances in search of water, which affected production. Mr Wayongo explained that water was indispensable to human life and appealed to the beneficiary communities to cultivate the habit of ownership of the wells by contributing to repair them immediately they broke down. He urged the Church, the Rotary Club and the founders to collaborate and strengthen their partnership to bring about development in other areas to support deprived communities. Mr Wayongo noted that government attached importance to the provision of quality water for the people and that explained why the project on Small Town Water Supply and the Sanitation Project (STWSSP) had almost been completed.

He said feasibility studies were ongoing on the provision of quality water in Denagu-Danvorga and Tempane-Yabraga, all in Garu-Tempane to provide quality drinking water for the people.