President commissions water supply system for Adaklu

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has commissioned a water supply system to provide constant supply of water to the people of Adaklu and surrounding districts.

The project comes under the third phase of the Five District Water Supply Project, and the President had in 2020 cut sod for to serve 95 communities in Adaklu, Agortime-Ziope and Central Tongu with a combined population of 89,150.

President Akufo-Addo said at the commissioning that the Government remained focused on delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a multi-faceted approach and listed significant achievements including, the Spain Ghana Debt Swap, and others across the country such as the 32 million Euros Sustainable Water Improvement project for the Volta, Oti, Greater Accra, and Eastern Regions.

Others include the on-going Keta Water Project, Wenchi Water, the Sekondi Takoradi and one for the Sogakope-Lome corridor, which the President said would benefit more than 4 million people.

He commended stakeholders for the collective effort towards the project and called to protect the water resources considering the weight on the taxpayer.

Madam Cecilia Dapaah, Minister for Sanitarian and Water Resources, said through the efforts of the government, water scarcity was being addressed, and expressed gratitude to the President.

She said water coverage stood at 87.7 per cent from the latest data in 2021, while sanitation coverage stood at 80.8 per cent.

She said diseases such as cholera and dysentery were “banished” by the President and assured that the SDGs would be attained under his visionary leadership.

Madam Dapaah noted how water availability would support the sustainability of the business Community, and thus the growth of the district and should be safeguarded.

Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa, Volta Regional Minister said the event marked the attainment of another milestone for the entire region with the access to quality safe water and demonstrate the President’s love for the Region.

“The Volta Region highly appreciates your love. You have demonstrated once again your desire to address the basic needs of the people. You have shown that the little things that make positive impact in the lives of the people mean the most to you in and the people of Volta cannot hold back their gratitude to you.”

He said communities in the Region including Amedzofe, Dzolo, Shia, Ziofe and Adaklu have benefited from the Ghana Spain Debt Swap project, and hoped sod would be cut soon for the fourth phase of the Five District Project to serve more communities.

Togbe Gbogbi Atsa V, Paramount Chief of Adaklu Traditional Area, said it was a lifetime project that would address ill health from water borne diseases, and that the agenda 111 project ongoing would help elevate the district.

“For all this we the people of Adaklu owe you and your administration. We are extremely grateful. We will write your name in our minds and our hearts.”

He appealed to the Government to ensure the construction of the Adaklu Waya to Tsrefe road, which had been awarded but not progressing, and to construct a promised cattle grazing reserve among other projects.

Phases one, two, and three combined pipes water to 215 communities in Adaklu, Agortime Ziope, Central Tongu, North Tongu, and Ho West, from a 1.1 million gallons per day water head located at Adidome.

Phase three includes some 175km of pipelines and three elevated reservoirs fed through a high lift booster pumping station at Kpeleho.

A total of 113 standpipes have been installed in the 95 communities.

Dr. Worlanyo Kwadzo Siabi, Chief Executive of the Community Water and Sanitation Agency, said ground water in the Volta Region had significant traces of magnesium and other compounds that made it expensive to treat, and was therefore prudent to source the Volta River.

He said the various interventions took the nation closer to complete water access by 2030.

The Phase Three was undertaken by Strabag AG with an 11.5 million Euro funding from the Raffeinsen Bank of Austria.

It begun in November 2020 and was completed in November 2022, while phase four, currently at the design stage, would cover the North Tongu and Ho West Districts.