ENVIRONMENT

Tamale water fund committee inaugurated
At a program organized by the Catholic Relief Services, an international NGO, 7-member steering committee called Tamale Water Fund (TWF) was inaugurated in Tamale.

Date Created : 9/30/2021 12:00:00 AM : Story Author : Amadu Mustapha / Ghanadistricts

The event was hosted by the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly with Sagnerigu and Savelugu Municipal Assemblies as participants. Other participants included but not limited to the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) community water and Sanitation agency, water resource commission, PURC as well as National Development Planning Commission among others.

Having been inaugurated, the committee is expected to serve as a decision-making body to help guide the water fund project in achieving its project deliverable.

Speaking at the ceremony the CRS noted that the establishment of the fund forms part of CRS' urban WASH and Resilience Project in the greater Tamale area comprising Tamale Metropolitan Assembly and Sagnerigu Municipal Assembly as its partner institutions. The project, according to the organization, is envisioned to guarantee water security in the greater Tamale among other key objectives.

In a PowerPoint presentation, the Regional Production Manager of the Ghana Water Company Mr. Nicholas Heneampong Okyere bemoaned the rising cost of water production and treatment partly caused by high turbidity levels and cost of chemicals. Describing as worrying trend, Mr Nicholas shared data on the increasing deficit in our water requirements in the catchment area. He therefore called on all stakeholders to help forestall the imminent dangers of water insecurity.

In an address read for him, the Northern Regional Minister,  Alhaji Saani Alhassan Shaibu assured the CRS and indeed the Steering committee of the Northern Regional Coordinating Council's commitment to creating the enabling environment aimed at facilitating their operations.


The Northern Regional economic planning officer, Alhaji Inusah Abukari who read the address expressed his gratitude to the CRS for being there for the RCC. He was also full of gratitude to the rest of their development partners for their support and cooperation.

Like the Regional minister, the Minister for Sanitation and water resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaa was represented at the inaugural ceremony. Also in an address read for her, the minister commended CRS and all other international NGO, bilateral and multilateral development partners for the complementary roles in Ghana's development drive.

She was happy to announce that as many as 8 water projects dotted across the beneficiary towns in the regions were at various stages of completion,which when complete will help improve significantly, the country's water delivery. She expressed hope that such a huge intervention will ultimately put Ghana on a high pedestal towards the achievement of relevant targets contained in the SDGs.

On Sanitation, the Minister hinted government's plans to partner private sector to construct recycling plants in all the 16 administrative Regions.

The newly inaugurated steering committee had 2 ladies as members to support their male counterparts in delivering the mandate. Speaking on behalf of his colleagues the chairman of the committee was grateful for the confidence reposed in them to serve on the committee. He commended the organizers for the initiative and therefore promised to work diligently for the realization of the objectives for which the committee was formed.