President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has cut sod for the commencement of the Tamale water supply project in the Northern Region.
The project is being undertaken with a US$223 million credit facility from the UK Export Finance and the Dutch Bank. It will address the water crisis across the country and improve water supply in terms of quality, quantity and reliability to the people of Tamale and its surroundings when completed. It will also put an end to water-borne diseases such as cholera.
It will supply potable water to 792,000 residents of Tamale and its surroundings and forms part of the government’s agenda of ensuring easy access to quality water in conformity with the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the President said.
He lamented that a sizable population of the Tamale area still do not have reliable access to potable water and as a result, the Ghana Water Company Limited has had to implement a water rationing programme as an interim measure.
The President, as part of his tour of the Northern, Savannah and the Northern East Regions, had earlier inaugurated the Yapei and Nalerigu water supply projects and also cut the sod for the Yendi and Damongo water projects in fulfilment of his 2016 manifesto promise to the people.
According to President Akufo-Addo, the current water supply in Tamale is 9 million gallons per day while demand is pegged at 20 million, representing a shortfall of some 11million gallons per day.
He, therefore, noted that the project seeks to enhance water supply system in the metropolis, by building new water supply infrastructure which will rely on the White Volta at Yapei, with a 29.7 million gallons per day capacity water treatment plant.
He stressed the need for the inhabitants to take good care of the projects to achieve the intended purpose while assuring of his government’s commitment to ensuring citizens have access to potable water.
