More Water Flows From Kpong

President John Dramani Mahama yesterday opened the valves at the Kpong Water Supply Expansion project for 20 million gallons of water to flow to a number of communities in parts of the Greater Accra and Eastern regions. An additional 20 million will be pumped from the project daily by the middle of next February to bring the total supply to 40 million gallons a day. The China Export Import Bank and the government of Ghana financed the project at a cost of $273 million. The Kpong water project is one of the interventions by the government to deliver adequate potable water to the people. Communities benefitting In the Eastern Region, towns that will benefit from the project include Somanya, Krobo Odumase, towns on the Akuapem Ridge and Atimpoku. In the Greater Accra Region, Adenta, Ashongman, Nii Boi Town, Ashaley Botwe, East Legon, Haatso, Dodowa and Dome will enjoy clean water from the project. Government spreading development At the inauguration ceremony, President Mahama said the government's vision to spread development to every part of the country was on course. Potable water supply, he said, was one of the key areas attention was being focused. Mr Mahama said the fact that some of the communities that were to benefit from the project had not seen water flow through their taps for the past 15 years made the project one of the best things to happen to them. He said he had directed that henceforth communities along major pipelines and electricity lines that did not benefit from those amenities should be made to benefit from them. Other water projects President Mahama stated that there were many water projects that the government was undertaking across the country to improve the living conditions of the people. One of such notable projects, he said, drew water from the sea to be treated and supplied to over 500,000 people at Teshie-Nungua and surrounding communities. The President said the project would soon be inaugurated. MDG goals President Mahama said Ghana had achieved the MDG on water coverage. Rural coverage is 65 per cent, while urban coverage is 63 per cent. The goal of the government, he said, was that by 2025 all Ghanaians would have access to safe drinking water. Collins Dauda The Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Alhaji Collins Dauda, said never in the history of the country had any government provided so much water for the people as was happening under President Mahama. The water provided so far amounted to about 65.7 million gallons per day. He asked the beneficiaries to pay their bills promptly to ensure that the Ghana Water Company had the needed funds to run the plant. The Konor of Manya Krobo, Nene Sackitey II, commended the government for its foresight.