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Ms Hannah Tetteh, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, on Monday broke the ground to signify the official commencement of construction work of University of Ghana's Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies (IESS) building complex.- The project, estimated to cost GHȻ 12 million, is being funded by the Government of Ghana. IESS is to help enrich the knowledge of students in environmental and sanitation issues and serve as centre for mapping out strategy in addressing sanitation problems in the country. Wilcado Construction Works Limited is undertaking the project which is expected to be completed in two years. Ms Tetteh, who represented President John Dramani Mahama, said the project would provide additional opportunity for inter-disciplinary research and teaching in mitigating the changing and increasing risks to human health caused by poor sanitation. Professor Chris Gordon, IESS Director, said the project would house 50 research fellows, auditorium, and special laboratory for analytical research to service agriculture, and oil and gas industry. He said the project, when completed, would address the numerous problems faced in sanitation. He said the country was endowed with abundant natural resources which had played a very important role in the agricultural and industrial development efforts of the country. Prof Gordon said as a result of incessant exploitation of these natural resources to meet legitimate socio-economic aspirations of the people, �an irreparable damage has been caused to productive lands through deforestation and destruction of the biodiversity�. He said the goal of the Institute is to establish research and teaching programmes to educate and train students from post graduate to PhD level as well as upgrade the skills of mid-career environmentalists and practitioners in the country and Africa.