President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said that government will continue to create an enabling environment, through the provision of social infrastructure, to attract investment to the rural communities.

The President made this statement when he commissioned the five Piped Water Supply Systems under the Water Supply Improvement Project (WSIP) of the Ghana-Spain Debt Swap Development Programme (DSDP) in Ho.

The President also revealed that, the Water Supply Improvement Project (WSIP) is being implemented in the Ho Municipality and in three (3) Districts of the Region namely, Ho West, Agortime Ziope, and Adaklu-Anyigbe, at a cost of $3.78 million.

The beneficiary communities of the project also include Amedzofe, Ziope, Akpokope/Batume Junction, Matse, Dzolo Gbogame, and surrounding communities.

According to President Akufo-Addo, the commissioned project

“has expanded access to water and has ensured sustainable water supply and sanitation services in thirty-six (36) rural communities. In addition, the project has seen to the construction of eighteen (18) piped water supply systems, and it is expected to serve a total population of sixty-nine thousand (69,000) people in all these districts.”

He said, the remaining 13 water systems under this Project are at various stages of completion, and are expected to be completed in December 2020, for the beneficiary communities also to enjoy potable water.

He then commended the chiefs and the people of the town with regards to the Amedzofe Water System sourcing its water from a nearby spring, which has been preserved over the years adding that, he is

“expectant that other communities across the country will emulate this worthy example, and protect our water bodies, to ensure the availability of water.”

He further reiterated government’s commitment to increasing access to potable water for all and revealed that funding has been secured for the commencement of work on the Rural Communities and Small Towns Water Supply Project, also known as the Aqua Africa Water Project.

“The Project will construct one hundred and fifty (150) water point sources and twelve (12) small town water systems to serve some five hundred and eight-eight (588) communities across the Volta, Oti, Greater Accra, Ashanti and Eastern Regions. Once completed, the Project will then benefit some two hundred and eighty-two thousand (282,000) people.”

President Akufo-Addo then urged the inhabitants of the beneficiary communities to help maintain the water infrastructure, so they can to continue to have access to potable water and, through that, ensure their general well-being and health.

The Ghana-Spain Debt Swap for Development Programme (DSDP) is one of the interventions instituted by the government to ensure the continuous provision of potable water to the rural and peri-urban populations of the country, and also a demonstration of government’s commitment to fulfilling the 2016 NPP Manifesto pledge of providing “Water For All”.