Government to sink 25,000 boreholes

The Government of Ghana will be drilling at least 25,000 boreholes for all communities across the country as part of measures to deal with the problem of water shortage in several parts of the country, Sanitation and Water Resources Minister-designate Joseph Kofi Adda has revealed.

According to him, although there are factors that could impede the project, mainly funding, the government remains committed to ensuring potable water is extended to every household in the country.

When asked how the Akufo-Addo-led government would deal with shortfalls in water supply in the country during his vetting by the Appointments Committee of Parliament on Wednesday February 1, he said: “There is a bit more information in our manifesto on this matter. We are looking at about some 25000 boreholes that will be drilled in the various communities. We are looking about 300 mechanised systems that we can also bring to the system.

“So this is something that we will really want to work on to ensure that whatever has been done to this point in time, we will be able to extend further and make sure that water goes to every household and every individual.

“There are many constraints as we all know – funding constraints especially; there are…technical issues as well.

“My personal view on it is that the funding is not able to support what we desired to do because of the overpricing of some of them. As a former MP and a public citizen, I have been able to construct or drill some boreholes that have come to a cost far less than what one will say is the cost supplied in some of the agencies. Their figures may be true because I may be doing it as an individual, as an MP, but they may have other costs that apply. So finance is critical and something we have to look at.

“The NPP manifesto again has stated clearly that we will make every effort to support with all the funding that we need to achieve this goal.”