4 Western Region communities to have concrete drains
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The communities are Kojokrom, Aprutu, Nkwadum and Bopa, all in the Sefwi Akontombra Constituency.
The Minister of Water Resources Works and Housing, Alhaji Collins Dauda, who announced this in Parliament yesterday said the Hydrological Services Department (HSD) had studied the problem and observed that major gullies had developed in various parts of the communities as a result of storm run-off.
In some instances, he said, the gullies posed a great danger to buildings as they tended to undermine their foundations.
According to him, the ministry would implement the project as soon as funding was available.
Alhaji Dauda was answering a question filed by the member for Sefwi Akontombra, Mr Herod Cobbina.
Mr Cobbina had sought to know the outcome of investigations by the HSD to assess the extent of soil erosion in the aforementioned towns.
Answering another question bordering on the provision of Small Town Water and Sanitation Systems (STWSS) for Ackaakrom, Kojokrom, Esaase, Denwuakrom, Aprutu and Nkwadum-Besibema by the same MP, Alhaji Dauda said the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CSWA) had population thresholds for determining the technology option for rural water provision.
He said under the CWSA’s policy, a community with a population of 75 to 1,200 people was provided with a hand dug well or borehole fitted witha hand pump, with a ratio of 300 people per borehole.
In the case of communities with 1,201 to 2,000 people, he said a mechanised borehole with “simple piped schemes” and PVC tanks were provided.
For a 2,000 to 50,000 population community, he said full mechanised small town systems with steel or concrete overhead tanks, standpipes and household connections were provided.
According to Alhaji Dauda, apart from Aprutu which had a population of 2,010 and accordingly qualified for a STWSS, the six others did not qualify.
The other settlements, he said, had the following populations: Ackaakrom, 557; Kojokrom, 1,770; Essase, 1,205; Dewuakrom, 1,012; Nkwadum, 1,919 and Besibema,314.
“Mr Speaker, over the years, standard practice had been developed for selecting communities which desired Small Town Water Systems. The practice is that a community applies to the district assemblies which will then nominate them for consideration when there is a project in the area. Records available at the CSWA indicate Aprutu has not yet applied for a Small Town Water Supply. As a member of the assembly, the Honourable Member may wish to get the district to prioritise Aprutu for this type of facility,” he said.
Alhaji Dauda said each of the communities had a water supply system.
Ackaakrom, according to him, was currently served by three boreholes, one of which was fitted with a solar pump.
Kojokrom,he said, was served with two boreholes; Esaase, two boreholes; Dewuakrom,one hand dug well; Aprutu, two boreholes, and Besibema, two boreholes, one of which is a mechanised solar system.
The commencement of public business saw the House take the Ghana Investment Promotion Council (GIPC) Bill through the consideration stage.
By Mark-Anthony Vinorkor/Ghana
