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Regional News of Wednesday, 1 October 2014

Source: GNA

Ponponya-Fantem appeals for potable water

The People of Ponponya-Fantem, in the Upper-Manya Krobo District, the community where the Koforidua-Asesewa water project pump station is located, has appealed for potable water since they are not benefiting from the project.

The community, despite being host to the water pump station where treated water is supplied to towns in the Regio including Bunso, Tafo, Koforidua and some towns dotted along the Koforidua –Asesewa road does not benefit from the project.

The GNA Media Auditing and Tracking of Development Projects being sponsored by STAR-Ghana gathered that water from the lake which is the only option to the community is often polluted because of the procedures in treating and pumping the water from the pump station.

Mr Albert Teye, the Dademantse of the community, told GNA that the people in the area sacrificed parts of their farming lands during the laying of the pipes for the water project yet they are not benefitting.

He said apart from the community being denied access to portable water, the community is also not connected to electricity whiles the pump station has power.

According to the Dademanste, the land on which the pump station is cited belonged to his fathers and described the situation as an unfair treatment which they had lived long with but added that their patience was running out.

The Koforidua-Asesewa water project was started in 2000 under the former President Jerry John Rawlings administration but was completed by the former President J. A. Kufuor administration to improve accessibility to water to the people of the then Manya Krobo District and all the communities dotted along the Asesewa to Koforidua road and to help improve the Koforidua water supply.

Originally, the project was to benefit 15 communities in the Krobo area but on completion, many of the 15 communities including Ponponya-Fantem did not benefit.