Cecilia Abena Dapaah, Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources (MSWR), has cut the sod for commencement of work on a water supply system at Tono in the Upper East Region.

The project which is valued at 37,683,266 Euros is financed by ING Bank of Belgium on a loan facility of 25,341,958 and a grant of 12,341,303 Euros from the Netherlands Government.

When completed it is expected to supply 10,000m3 treated water daily to 180,000 people living in 30 communities and their environs as well as provide additional storage to augment the water needs of these community members.

Mrs Dapaah, who read a speech on behalf of the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo- Addo, said the project was in line with government’s agenda to draw the country closer to achieving sustainable water for all beyond agenda 2030.

She said government would not renege to deliver on its efforts to preserve the life of Ghanaians adding that good drinking water would impact on productivity and trickle down to affect the lives of the people.

“The importance of clean and safe drinking water in the socio-economic development of the country cannot be compromised and government will ensure that all in the country enjoyed safe and good drinking water“, she said.

The Minister was accompanied by her Deputy Mr Michael Jatoe, MP for Krachie East, some Board members of the GWCL, including Naba Segri Bewong, Paramount Chief of the Sekoti Traditional Area, and Mr Clement Kaba as well as the Deputy Netherlands Ambassador, Katja Lasaur.

Ms Lassaur said water management is key to the Dutch government and it is a priority theme of Ghana government to improve access to safe clean water and sanitation, water management, improved river basin management, and raising water productivity for farming.

She said her government in the last 15 years has provided support for the Ministry and the Ghana Water Company in the rehabilitation and building of various water supply systems as well as supplying the private sector with subsidies to make water accessible to areas where there is no GWCL presence to make safe water accessible to rural and urban areas.

The Minister’s entourage called on the contractors to complete work on schedule and called on beneficiary communities to ensure that they helped to protect the infrastructure and avoid encroaching lands around the water treatment plant.

Mr Remy Bonpita Puoru, Acting Managing Director, of the Ghana Water Company, said the company operated a dual water supply system in the Bolgatanga Municipality, involving surface and ground water using the borehole system.

He said major sources of water supply was drawn from the water treatment plant at Gowrie, in the Bongo District and supplemented by mechanized boreholes at Zuarungu and the Bolgatanga Senior high School that pump water to overhead tanks for distribution to 5,000 customers.

He said the new project comprises an entire new water source and would ameliorate current water challenges.

The Tono Irrigation Dam was constructed in the 1960s to supply water to communities and promote irrigation farming. over the years the dam has had challenges culminating from over exploitation leading to reduced water volume in the dam.

The new project was mooted 11 years ago and received Parliamentary approval in 2018.

Mr Kofi Adda, former sector Minister, was commended by the Minister for the initiative leading to the successful commencement of the project under the leadership of President Akuffo- Addo.

The new project which is being undertaken by Denys Engineers and contractors GB, involves the design and construction of a new raw water intake at the Tono reservoir, including a pumping station and a raw water transmission pipeline, a new water treatment plant to be located at Tono, a 67 km new transmission pipelines to transport drinking water from the Tono treatment plant to supply areas in Navrongo, Bolgatanga, and Paga.