A Technical Review Dissemination Workshop of Rural Water Supply Infrastructure (RWSI) for the Asutifi North District and selected communities in Tano North and South Municipalities, has been held at Kenyasi in the Ahafo region.
The programme was facilitated by consultancy firm, PEC Consult limited with funding support from the Conrad N Hilton Foundation (CHF) based in the United States of America (USA).
The Foundation engaged the expertise service of PEC Consult Limited to conduct vivid study on Rural Water Supply Infrastructure (RWSI) in communities around the country, and to come out with a concluding report.
The CHF has over the decades supported initiatives in Rural Water Supply Infrastructure Development (RWSID) and management implemented by both governmental and non-governmental agencies around the world.
PEC Consult limited, in view of this, met key stakeholders in the Asutifi North district to solicited their input in the report to make it complete, with the sole vision of providing 100 per cent safe water coverage to rural communities in the district.
The Asutifi North district has a population of 73,556 making 37,663 (51.2 per cent) males and 35,893 (48.8 per cent) females, with a population density 79.19KM and an area of 928.8KM, a 51.5 per cent rural settlement and 48.5 per cent urban settlement.
The workshop was attended by the World Vision International, Safe Water Network, Traditional Authorities, Journalists, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) related organisations, PEC Consult, Ghana Education Service and the various beneficiary municipal and district assemblies
According to Ing Emmanuel Obeng, Managing Director (MD), PEC Consult, the studies covered rural and semi-rural communities and systems covered water supply development initiatives implemented by development organizations including the World Vision International and Safe Water Network.
He said key study objectives were to provide overview of prevailing status of targeted rural and semi-urban water supply infrastructure facilities, assess and outline challenges beneficiary impact of facilities, propose solutions and make recommendations for compliance enhancement.
The MD stated that selected facilities inspected inventory included two hand pumped boreholes, 12 limited mechanised systems, 11 small community systems, 17 small town water supply systems.
Ing Obeng Atuah noted that facilities inspection focused on physical features, operational status, operation and maintenance regime, stakeholder issues and general system management status.
Ing William F Acquah, Technical Consultant of PEC Consult, said the studies were conducted in communities namely Gambia No 2, Wamahiniso and Kenyasi No 1 in the Asutifi North district, Bomaa and Adrobaa in the Tano North municipality and Breme in the Tano South municipality, all in the Ahafo region.
He indicated that water Supply Infrastructure (WSI) has been extended to schools, health facility and a section of Kenyasi No 1 community, school and part of community in Kenyasi No 2, school, health facility and community in Kenyasi No 3.
“WSI was built in school and community in Kensere, school and community in Obengkrom, Yaabeneagya community, school and community in Kojo Nkrumah, Krakyekrom health facility, community and health center in Biaso,” the Technical Consultant added.
Ing Acquah said water supply infrastructure was constructed for the Koforidua CHPS compound, Gambia No 1 health facility and community, Nsuta community and health centre, Aboagyaa and Nyamebekyere communities.
Mr Anthony Mensah, the Asutifi North District Chief Executive (DCE), in his remarks, noted that it was the vision of the Assembly to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) six on WASH from 2017 to 2030.
He said potable water is connected to most communities, health facilities and schools in the district to ensure easy access and to reduce cost on the basic commodity especially in remote areas.
The DCE added that Water Management Committee (WMC) has been constituted at the various communities to take care of the proceeds of the water sold and general issues governing the facilities including maintenance.
He emphasised that the water systems are hooked on ‘pay as you fetch’ and ‘prepaid’ basis in order to avoid piled up bills of recalcitrant customers who refuse to pay their post usage bills.
“The payment systems must not be politicized. It is meant for the proper management and maintenance of the facilities to last longer. Let’s all come on board to make it great and unique” Mr Mensah stressed.
He expressed gratitude to the Conrad N Hilton Foundation, PEC Consult limited, development partners, Nananom, Ahafo Regional Coordinating Council (ARCC) and other stakeholder institutions for supporting the provision of safe water in the enclave.
