Accra, Feb. 23, GNA - General Overseer of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), Dr Mensa Otabil, on Monday inaugurated the Church's Clean Water Project aimed at providing clean water to selected deprived communities. The event, which took place at Atoman in the Ga West District in the Greater Accra Region, is one out of 20 boreholes fitted with hand-pumps, estimated at GH¢200,000, to serve over 12,000 inhabitants in 15 selected communities. Six boreholes out of the 20 have been provided to some communities in the District.

Dr Otabil said the project was a continuation of the key ministries of the ICGC social services to the community. "In this 25th anniversary year of ICGC, we can look back at several social programs of ICGC including donation to the Ghana Heart Foundation, Princess Marie Louis Children Hospital, the Plastic Surgery Department of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Mammocare-Ghana, Osu children's Home and assistance to freed Trokosi Slaves," he said. Dr Otabil noted that, beginning in 2006 the Church moved to another level from giving financial and material assistance to providing infrastructural intervention and from donations and consumables to construction of permanent immovable structures that can influence a lot more lives into the future.

He said the project was the Church's contribution to eliminating some of the challenges such as the amount of time and energy expended by mostly women and children in search of clean drinking water. These challenges, he said, adversely affected the quality of life of the residents and greatly diminished their enjoyment of the life that God had blessed them with.

"The most heart warming aspect of the ICGC Clean Water project in our 25th year is that the youth in ICGC - Christ Temple - have opted to lead the fundraising effort. Their 'Give a Cedi a Sunday' drive has come to augment our traditional fund raising event such as ICGC Life Walk in December and other special events organized by the Church." Dr. Otabil said it was his prayer that the project would open the hearts of the communities it served to the life transforming power of Jesus Christ, the true living water who offered abundant life to all who trusted in him.

Mr. Sam K. Addo, Deputy Coordinating Director of the Ga West District, commended the Church for going the extra mile to provide social amenities and noted that the provision of good drinking water would enhance the social fortunes of the communities around Atoman. He urged the beneficiary communities to take good care of the facility. Nii Ofori Annan, Chief of Atoman, commended the Church for bringing good drinking water the community had been longing for, adding that, travelling for long distances in search of water would be a thing of the past. The community presented a ram and foodstuffs to Dr Otabil in appreciation for the kind gesture.