GWCL spends US$283.2 million on 21 projects

Back page (lead) November 22/2008

Story: Charles Benoni Okine

THE Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has spent about $283.2 million between 2001 and 2008 on completion of 21 major water projects throughout the country.
Prominent among the projects are the Cape Coast and Tamale Water Supply Expansion Projects, the Accra East-West Interconnection, the Kwanyaku Water Supply System and the Baifikrom Water Expansion Project.
The others are the Sekondi-Takoradi Rehabilitation, Winneba Water Expansion, Akwapim Ridge Rehabilitation and the extension of water supply from Awutu-Bawjiase to Mankrong and its surrounding areas, among others.
The Chief Manager in charge of Public Relations of the GWCL, Mr Michael Agyemnag, told the Daily Graphic in an interview that most of the funds for the projects were contracted from the Dutch government as loans and grants.
He described the projects as critical, particularly the Cape Coast and the Tamale projects, which he said, had brought to an end the perennial water problems that hit the two regional capitals during the dry seasons.
Mr Agyemnag said quite apart from the major projects that were mentioned, the company, from its own resources, had also spent some moneys to undertake repair works and lay pipes in various parts of the country, notably in the urban centres.
Although the amount is significant, it still falls far short of the more than $1.7 billion, required to fix the serious water problems in the country, according to the sector ministry’s sources.
For instance, the Kpong Water Works alone requires about $230 million to up its capacity to about 55 million gallons a day to enable it serve the eastern parts of Accra and the surrounding towns.
According to Mr Agyemang, the company, as a state-subvented institution, had effectively executed its mandate as per the loans guaranteed on its part and was determined to do more as and when the funds were available to undertake any project.
Mr Agyemang said apart from the completed ones, there were more projects that were ongoing in various parts of the country.
He cited the Koforidua Water Supply Project, the Kumasi Water Supply Project, the Accra/Tema Metropolitan Area (ATMA) rural project, among others.
Mr Agyemnag said in addition to these projects, there were also about 20 more projects that had been planned on the drawing board and indicated that “these will soon commence to augment the present supplies”.
He said there were such projects as the Yendi, Damongo, Bolga, Wa, Konongo, Obuasi and Mampong Water Supply Projects in the pipeline.
Mr Agyemang also mentioned the Berekum, Techiman, Sogakope/Lome, Kpandu, Ho, Akim Oda, New Tafo, Kibi, Kwahu Ridge and Sunyani Water Supply Projects.
He said the government was serious in talks with various donor partners to fund what had been dubbed the Kpong II-ATMA Water Supply Project at an estimated cost of $230 million.
This project, he said, would involve construction of a new 18,700,000 gallons a day and the expansion of treatment plant to 55,000,000 gallons a day.
Mr Agyemang said there would also be construction of new transmission mains through Dodowa, Adenta to the Accra Booster Station and distribution improvement, including reservoirs at Oyibi, Boi and Ofankor, among others.