The Indian Association of Ghana has commissioned a GH¢ 20,000 bole-hole water project at Odumase-Newtown in the Central Region to help solve the perennial water problem of the area.

Addressing the community, Mr Mahesh Gokaldaz, President of the Indian Association of Ghana, said the association had been active since 1939, and had embarked on similar projects in the past adding that “this project is part of the association’s charity programmes for local communities”.

He said since the outbreak of Ebola in West Africa, the group had embarked on the ‘water for life’ program, an initiative to construct more bore holes for deprived communities near Accra.

However, this is the first bore-hole project undertaken and financed by the Indian Association of Ghana.

On other projects, he said the association had assisted some of the leading hospitals in Accra with new equipment to assist and ensure that quality healthcare was delivered and would also continue to provide sponsorship for scholarship into the University of Ghana.

Mr Gokaldaz said everyone had the right to clean water, hence requested that the chief should ensure the project was well maintained at all times and also allow all residents access to the facility.

On behalf of the association, he expressed gratitude to the construction firm, Polytank, for supplying a 10,000 litre tank, Family Focus, a non-governmental organisation, who made the appeal on behalf of the Odumase-Newton Community, and all its partners for contributing towards the success of the project.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr Gokaldaz said the pumping of the water to fill the polytank could be done within 30 minutes, as such; the community would not have issues with power fluctuation.

Mr K. Jeeva Sagar, Indian High Commissioner to Ghana, described each of the groups representing India in their own way as pillars who were contributing towards the development of the Ghanaian Community.

The High Commissioner said the size of these contributions did not matter, adding that “what matters is the qualitative change it has made in the lives of the people in the country”.

Mr Sagar said clean drinking water was an essential factor for quality life and, therefore, commended the Indian Community for embarking on such a laudable initiative to change the lives of an entire community.

Nana Kwaku Larbi, Chief of Odumase-Newton, expressed gratitude to the association for solving the perennial water problem of the community and appealed to the Government, NGOs and benevolent individuals to help with the construction of a community clinic.

According to him, there were no nearby clinics and community members had to travel all the way to Swedru for healthcare and this situation had been one of their major challenges.