By Felix Engsalige Nyaaba
Some communities within the La -Nkwatanang Madina Municipal Assembly(LaNMMA) in Accra would benefit from the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) Water and Sanitation modern toilet facilities project.
Under the project, which is being sponsored by the World Bank and the government of Ghana (GoG), over 2,000 improved household toilets would be constructed to enhance good sanitation in the LaNMMA identified areas.
Mr Daniel Agyesam Kabe, Coordinator of GAMA sanitation and water project unit of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, made this known during a stakeholders meeting at Madina in Accra yesterday.
The stakeholders meeting, he said was to sensitise the residents of the collaboration effort between GAMA and LaNMMA plans to provide them with improved household sanitation services whilst each household would pay 50 per cent of the cost.
Mr Agyesam-Kabe said effective sustainable portable water and related sanitation services, as well as promotion of hygiene in the identifiable communities are important to the donor countries.
He urged the people to take advantage of the project to improve personal hygiene.
The five-year project being funded by the World Bank through the International Development Agency (IDA) grant, he stated would address acute sanitation and water challenges confronting the urban communities, particularly the low income areas in the 11 Municipalities of the GAMA.
Alhaji Saaka Dramani, Coordinating Director of LaNMMA, said he was of strong conviction that the project would on completion contribute immensely towards improving the deplorable sanitation and water conditions in the municipality.
He said sanitation was an important driver to the health, economic and social development of any nation, noting that, it was however sad to state that despite the progress LaNMMA chalked in the other areas of development, there was little progress for environmental sanitation.
According to him, less than one-fifth of the population had access to improved sanitation and about 20 per cent of the population practiced open defecation and stressed the need for residents to take opportunity and welcome the project.
The LaNMMA Coordinating Director said the assembly was glad that a component in the project would deal with access to safe water in the areas and pledged the assembly commitment and support to make the project succeed.
Mr Percy Anaab Bukari of the DevtPlan Consultancy of the GAMA project at LaNMMA said as part of the programme, household toilet , water and sanitation would be tackled in the communities to ensure good hygienes.
According to him, the project includes 11 participating MMAs namely Tema Metropolitan Assembly, Adentan, Ashaiman, Ledzokuku-Krowor, Ga East, Ga West, Ga South, Ga Central, La Nkwantanang-Madina, La Dade-Kotopon Municipal Assemblies and Accra Metropolitan Assembly.
He explained that the GAMA project is World Bank grant of about US$150 million to support the government of Ghana efforts to increase access to improved sanitation and improved water supply in the GAMA, to strengthen management of environmental sanitation in the country.
Mr Buakri further stated that, the project has four components which includes provision of environmental sanitation and water supply services to priority low income areas and improvement and expansion of the water distribution network in the GAMA.
The other components he said, are planning, improvement and expansion of GAMA-wide environmental sanitation services and institutional strengthening of municipal, metropolitan and national institutions.
He therefore gave the assurance that the project would be a reality for the residents to get toilets in their homes.
Mr Baba Ahmed Andani, Manager of Accra East Sub Station of Ghana Water Company also assured residents that there is enough water for supply to their homes and that the government was still laying the main pipelines.
He urged residents to be patients, while those who have old pipelines also visit the company office for renewal and reconnection and warned customers against illegal tapping of water pipes.
Pictures: some residents at the GAMA Project stakeholders meeting.
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