Transparency is crucial to good governance - Jake

Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Minister for Information and Presidential Affairs, has observed that one ingredient needed for good governance was transparency.

He said this was because it enhanced the confidence that people have for their leaders, which in the long term made governance much easier and successful.

Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey was speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony for the first phase of the three phase Ashale-Botwe /Nmai Dzorn Water Project in Accra on Saturday.

Speaking on the need for good management of contributions of 500,000 cedis per resident towards the project, he said it would be best for residents to be well informed on every step concerning the utilization of the money.

The Minister said this would enhance their confidence and also urge those who are yet to hand in their contributions to do so.

He commended the people for their spirit of self-reliance and said it signified the re-awakening of people that they have to be involved in activities aimed at enhancing the well being of themselves and their communities.

In a speech read on his behalf, Mr Yaw Barimah, Minister for Works and Housing, said by the development of new settlements, the capital kept expanding, which meant more investment into urban water supply, adding that worn out pipelines also needed replacement.

He said although the government desired to solve the problem, that could not be fully achieved due to financial constraints, hence the need for the participation of the private sector in water distribution.

The Minister congratulated the organizers of the project and said the Ministry of Works and Housing would ensure financial assistance for the project.

One hundred million cedis have so far been received as contributions by residents towards the project which is estimated to cost about five billion cedis.

Out of this amount, 90 million cedis have been used to purchase 155 eight-inch pipes to cover one kilometer out of the entire eight kilometers of the project.

The project, a joint effort of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) and the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), is to be completed by the end of the year.