IDA TO PROVIDE PORTABLE WATER IN 320 COMMUNITIES.

The International Development Agency (IDA), of the World Bank has provided 22 million dollars under the community water and sanitation programme to provide 320 communities from four regions with potable water .

The first phase of the programme being implemented by the Ghana sewerage Corporation (GSWC), which began last year for the period 1994-1998, covers Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Western and Northern Regions.

Twenty communities from each of the four districts would benefit and in the Ashanti Region, the districts are Sekyere East, Adansi East, Amansie West and Ahafo-Ano South.

Mr. Mike Adjei, Ashanti Regional Co-odinator of the Community Water and Sanitation Division of the GWSC, said the corporation had now privatised the maintenance of water facilities and therefore the corporation would train some people to operate and maintain the facilities at the expense of the communities.

He urged every district assembly to establish a fund to support the construction of the sanitation facilities, stressing that the GWSC would refund the contribution of the community after the commissioning of the toilets.