Regional News of Wednesday, 4 June 2003

Source: gna

Provision of potable water for Ningo Prampram

The expansion of the Weija Water Works would be extended to cover Accra East with the laying of additional pipelines for supply and provision of potable water to communities in the Ningo Prampram area.

Additionally the long-term solution to the problem is for the rehabilitation and expansion of the Kpong Old Water Works treatment plants that serves the Ningo Prampram area while the upcoming Accra Rural Water Supply Project would address the problem.

Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, Minister of Works and Housing, said this on Tuesday in Parliament when Enoch Teye Mensah, NDC-Ningo Prampram asked what plans the Ministry had to address the water problem in the towns and villages in the area.

He said a contract for the rehabilitation and improvement had been signed with Messrs Tahal Consulting Engineers of Israel and following a value for Money audit, the contractor had prepared an addendum to the contract that was being reviewed for signature by government and the contractor.

Alhaji Idris said the loan agreement for the project was to be laid before Parliament soon. He said Prampram Township received water but its communities nearby and beyond had water problems due to low pressure, frequent power interruptions from Kpong that affected production while the present increase in water demand had also affected the supply to the villages.

Mensah also asked the Minister whether he was aware that over 500 villages were not being served with pipe-borne water, the Minister said the problem was of great concern to government that was why plans were being put in place to supply water from the Weija Water Works.

As to whether the Minister was aware that farmers interfered with the flow of water through the pipelines in the area, Alhaji Idris said the Ghana Water Company had been mandated to monitor and inspect the pipelines while due to the activities at the Free Zone, near Tema some rationing of water was on-going.