A GHc51,000 mechanised borehole with a capacity of 10,500 litres was inaugurated at Leklebi-Agbesia in the Afadzato South District of the Volta Region on Saturday.
The borehole, which was originally constructed 44 years ago, produces about 90 litres of water per minute.
The twin-tank facility was automated by a non-governmental organisation, Community Focus Foundation Ghana (CFF-Ghana), under its Safe Water Project, in collaboration with the Volta Regional Coordinating Council and funded by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Vaccine Institute, Dr Sodzi-Sodzi Tetteh.
The Executive Director of the CFF-Ghana, Ricard Kasu, said the inauguration was a fulfilment of hope, a demonstration of partnership and a renewed commitment to improving the lives of the people through sustainable community development.
“Access to clean and safe drinking water is not a privilege, but a fundamental human right, yet rural communities continue to face significant challenges in accessing potable water,” he said.
That situation, Mr Kasu said, exposed families to waterborne diseases, long walking distances and lost opportunities for education and productivity.
He cited data from the VRCC, which revealed that the region needed about 900 mechanised boreholes to bridge the water gap in communities, saying that it was in recognition of that challenge that the CFF-Ghana launched the Safe Water Access Project to provide sustainable, reliable and equitable access to safe drinking water in underserved communities.
“Beyond drilling boreholes, we believe every water intervention should strengthen good health, reduce burden on women and children, support education and improve livelihoods,” Mr Kasu added.
He urged community members to establish a robust management system to maintain the facility regularly and protect it from misuse.
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For his part, Dr Sodzi-Sodzi Tetteh said clean water was a guarantee of health, adding that it could serve as a vaccine against cholera, typhoid and other diseases.
The District Chief Executive, Manfred Tawiah, said the mechanised water facilities were a point from which one good turn would deserve another.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Afadzato South, Frank Afriyie, commended the people of Leklebi-Agbesia for its high standard of sanitation and urged them to remain united at all times to lift the community to astonishing heights.
The MP said with clean water and remarkably clean surroundings, the future of Leklebi-Agbesia, known for the bountiful production of cash and food crops, is very bright.
