Atiavi (VR), April 8, GNA - Government has pledged to complement efforts of the chiefs and people of Atiavi in the Keta Municipality to complete their water project.

Dr. Hanna Louisa Bissiw, Deputy Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing announced this at a durbar of chiefs and people of Atiavi to climax this year's Easter festivities at the week-end. The residents fetch water from river Tordzi, usually polluted at its source from Akatsi, making them suffer from water-borne diseases. The project initiated about three years has not been completed due to lack of funds.

Dr. Bissiw said: "Access to water and sanitation are basic fundamental human rights and government would endeavour to ensure provision of potable water to the citizenry. No strategy for poverty reduction and development can ignore water and sanitation".

She appealed to traditional rulers to help protect the country's water bodies which were decreasing in volume because of human activities. "I urge you all to cooperate with government agencies whose activities are geared towards protecting the environment in order to secure it for future generations", she added. Dr. Bissiw commended the chiefs and people for the initiative and urged others to emulate them. Mr. Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah, Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, urged the people to co-operate with the government to improve their living conditions.

He said efforts were being made to make education more affordable and accessible to Ghanaians with the provision of free uniforms, exercise books and increased capitation grant.

Mr. Afriyie-Ankrah urged women in the area to form co-operatives to enable them access loans from MASLOC to expand their businesses. Togbui Adri IV, Dufia of Atiavi, thanked government for the assistance to reduce the drudgery they had to endure to access potable water. He pledged their support to the government in its efforts to improve the living standards of Ghanaians.