Government Secures funding for Water plant

Government is in negotiations with a Chinese and British company s for a GHc 500 million loan facilities to build new water plants to cater for the shortfall of 80 million gallons of water per day in Accra and Tema.

Mr. Albert Abongo, Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing, who disclosed this to the Times yesterday said if it comes to fruition, the projects will not only ensure adequate water supply in the two metropolis but also provide an excess capacity of 20 per cent to serve as reserve.

He said the arrangements with the British firm, which he did not mention, wills be done under a Build, Operate and Transfer to beef up the system.

He corrected an impression by sections of the media that the government is yet to provide a GHc30 million funding to drill boreholes across the country.

The Minister said a cursory look at 2009 budget will have informed the public that the government has already made provision for the money, saying that the Ministry has begun the process of procuring facilities to kick-start the project.

He explained that the GHc30 million is meant to cater for 1,816 boreholes, 16 small town pipes and the extension of Ghana Water Company lines to some communities in the Eastern Region.

Source: The Ghanaian Times