Kosmos Energy invests in water for communities
Thousands in communities in the Central, Greater Accra and Eastern regions have benefited from potable water supply under the Kosmos Energy, Ghana small town water project as part of its social investment plan.
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This follows a successful completion of a similar water project by the company, which saw the construction of water stations that brought clean, safe water to 19 communities in its operation districts in the Western region.
Speaking at the handing over of the completed water systems in Amanase in the Eastern Region and Kwabenya in the Greater Accra Region and Nyanyaano in the Central Region, Mr. Philip Liverpool, the Commercial Director, Kosmos Energy Ghana said the projects was part of its social Investment initiative to provide clean potable water communities.
He said Kosmos was working with its social investment partners have extended its footprint to 31-sites across the country proving potable water serving more than 450,000 people so far.
“We are expecting that by the end of 2017, our locations of water projects will go up from 31 currently to 98 sites across the country and expected to provide potable water to 1.2 million people,” Mr. Liverpool said.
The grassroots
He said aside the provision of potable water, the facility was also in line with the company’s corporate policy of promoting development at the grassroots and also supporting the realization of the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of halving the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water in the country.
Mr. Liverpool said the records show that only 61 per cent of the people in sub-Saharan Africa have access to improved water supply sources. “At the same time over 40 per cent of all people globally who lack access to drinking water live in sub-Saharan Africa”
“In the last decade, however, over two billion people have gained access to improved drinking water. Today, Amanase, Kwabenya and Nyanyaano add up to this number that keeps growing due to the strategic partnerships.”
The plants
Each water plants with reservoirs he said had an installed capacity of 2,700 liters of water per hour with a hybrid system capable of straining out harmful pathogens and unwanted salts making the water pure and healthy for drinking and also for other household needs.
“As a company, we are happy to complement the efforts that have already been made by government and other agencies by way of providing water to the local communities,” he said.
He commended the collaboration and support from the traditional authorities, Community Water and Sanitation Agency, the district assemblies and the communities to make the project become a reality and urged beneficiary communities to patronize and water take good care of it to ensure that it becomes a profitable venture for the community.
“We at Kosmos Energy will continue to look for other equally impactful avenues, in which it can partner with other entities to accelerate the government’s efforts in achieving their Sustainable Development Goals,” he said.
Communities
The chief of the Nyanyano, Nana (Dr.) Obeng Wiabo V recalled that the communities prior to the project went through a lot of problems in search of water.
He said the support came as one of the community’s biggest relieve and that water extended to Nyanyano from Greater Accra was mostly cut at Kasoa, Weja, and Koklobitey due to the fast development in the area.
It said they continue to battle with potable water until Kosmos Energy initiative, which did not only give them, water but life. “I must say that hand dug-wells in these communities are all salty and not drinkable, and we are grateful that this project came with the technology that takes out the salt completely.”