Dormaa-Ahenkro (B/A), May 23, GNA - A component of Ghana Government/International Development Association's (IDA) 75 million dollar sustainable Water and Sanitation project has been launched in the Dormaa Municipality.

Dormaa Municipality is one of 11 districts, selected to benefit from the project in the Brong-Ahafo Region. The project is designed to provide potable water and improved sanitation in selected communities in six regions in Ghana. Other beneficiary districts in Brong-Ahafo are Sunyani Municipal, Sunyani West, Tain, Nkoranza-South, Kintampo North and South, Sene, Pru, Techiman and Jaman-North districts.

A total of 200 bore-holes, eight limited mechanization bore-holes and six Small Town Water Systems would be provided in the 11 districts of the region under the project. Mr Vincent Oppong Asamoah, Dormaa Municipal Chief Executive (MCE0), who launched the project, noted that, it formed part of the government's promise to harness local and foreign resources towards accelerated improvement in the lives of Ghanaians.

He said the policy thrust of the Water and Sanitation project was its emphasis on community ownership and that it is government's intention to provide food to feed the population of Ghana. The MCE announced that 160,000 people were expected to benefit from the Sustainable Water and Sanitation project in the Brong-Ahafo Region and the Dormaa Municipal project was the first to be launched in the region.

He assured the project's funding agencies that the Municipal Assembly would 93fast track" payment of five percent counterpart fee, required of each beneficiary community, to ensure the speedy completion of the project. The MCE also announced a pending French Government's Water package, which was expected to cover all the 22 districts of the Brong-Ahafo region. He urged beneficiary communities to give maximum support to the contractors and take keen interest in the execution process as well as contributing willingly to sustain the facilities.

Mr Divine Dugbatey, Regional Water and Sanitation Engineer, said one of the aims of the project was to cut down on the spread of water-borne diseases and encourage landlords to have their own places of convenience. He said the project, which would end in 2016, would provide water and sanitation to more than 600,000 people in the six selected regions. Mr Dugbatey stressed the need for collaboration among all stakeholders', particularly beneficiary communities, for the project to succeed. He announced that the Dormaa Municipality would benefit from 19 bore-holes and one Small Town Water System.

Barima Oppong Yaw Boabasa Ababio, Gyaasehene of the Dormaa Traditional Council, who presided, enjoined traditional authorities, local government sub-structures and Community Water and Sanitation Implementation Committees to provide the needed support towards the project. He reminded his people that their call for more projects would be justified only when they were able to handle existing development projects well. Barima Boabasa Ababio stressed that all government projects were meant to benefit the people and not for any political party, individual or groups.