The Member of Parliament for Wassa Amenfi East Constituency in the Western Region, Hon Nicholas Amankwah has quizzed the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources over what plans the Ministry has put in place to end water crisis in his area.
Interrogating the Minister on the floor of Parliament on Monday, 13th November, 2023, the Amenfi East MP suggested that some residents in the municipal capital have no access to drinking water due to inadequate supply of pipe-borne water.
As a result, the MP enquired from the sector Minister, hon. Freda Prempeh to know when the government will extend water supply to cover Wassa Akropong township.
“Mr. Speaker, I rise to ask the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources what plans the Ministry has to rehabilitate and expand the Wassa Akropong Water System to cater for the increased water needs of the Wassa Akropong Township. I thank you Mr. Speaker” he asked the Minister.
In response to the questions, the sector Minister, Hon Freda Prempeh mentioned that, the Water System in Wassa Akropong township was completed under the European Union funded project in May 2010 to cater for a population of 8,627 in the area.
According to the Minister, “the system is currently based on the abstraction of water from one borehole and that, the water system had 14 stand pipes with 20 functioning, 345 household have already been connected” she said,
However the population according to the minister has ballooned to 11,892 resulting to increased water needs due to water rationing in the municipal capital.
Freda Prempeh said, the Ghana Water Company took over the management of the water system in July and carried out rehabilitation of the existing water tanks as well as replacing leaking distribution pipes to stabilize water supply.
However, in the short term, she said, the GWCL is in the process of mechanizing boreholes to improve water production and supply to areas of need.
She gave an assurance that the Ghana Water Company will again embark on exercise to replace old pipes, rehabilitate water tanks, increase distribution network and drill new boreholes to increase water supply in Wassa Amenfi East.
Meanwhile, the dissatisfying Member of Parliament further probed the minister to give timeline on the processing of mechanizing boreholes for the good people of Amenfi East.
In her response, Hon Freda Prempeh emphasized that the ministry will undertake the process of mechanizing boreholes on a long term period, thus, she cannot give an assurance as to when the ministry will fulfill its promises.
However, according to the sector minister, her office is making efforts to make funding available to commence the entire process.
Therefore, the minister was frank on the ministry’s readiness to marshal efforts and attention to improve accessibility to potable water for his constituents in the shortest possible time.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com/Kaakyire Kwasi Afari
