BUDGET: Government to provide safe water

Accra, Nov. 15, GNA - Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, on Thursday said the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing would continue its objectives to promote urban infrastructure development and basic services, including increased access to potable water as well as to safe, decent and affordable shelter.

To achieve the target of 58.5 per cent access to safe and potable water in 2008, the Ministry would sink 2,399 boreholes; dig 51 hand-dug wells; construct 84 Small Town Pipe Systems; 57 Small Community Pipe Systems; three Rain Catchment Systems and two Spring Protection Systems.

In addition, it would construct 5,546 household latrines, construct 526 institutional latrines and establish two water shed management systems.

Presenting the 2008 Financial Budget on Thursday, Mr Baah-Wiredu said the Ministry would also complete the Kumawu, Berekum, Assin Fosu, Sunyani and Techiman water works.

"The rehabilitation of treatment plants in various parts of the country would continue to ensure the production and delivery of safe water."

He said the Tamale Water Expansion Project and Accra East-West transfer interconnection would also be completed.

He said the Ministry would continue discussions with interested investors to raise the needed funds to support the water supply systems in Techiman; Bolgatanga; Konongo; Kwahu Ridge and Kyebi. On housing, he said, the objective of the Housing Policy was to support the private sector to increase housing delivery in the country and to improve mortgage affordability.

He said it was expected that the construction of the affordable houses would result in the creation of 60,000 direct jobs annually. "This year, Government established a housing mortgage programme for public servants designed to provide mortgages of up to GH 25,000.00 at low interest rates and with zero down payment. "In 2008, the Trustees of the scheme will complete detailed guidelines for its operationalisation." He announced that the Ministry had sourced about 20,243 hectares (50,000 acres) in Accra and other regional and district capitals, purposely for the National Housing Programme and associated infrastructure development to establish a Land Bank System to facilitate access to land by developers. The Ministry, he said, would continue the construction of a number of storm water drainage systems in all the regional capitals to improve upon sanitation.