Gov’t committed to supporting private initiatives

Government has re-affirmed its commitment to work with the private institutions to initiate projects to provide sustainable water solutions to impact over one million people in rural communities.

Mr Sampson Ahi, the Deputy Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing, said partnership was key in achieving the country’s desire to attain universal coverage by 2025 and there was the need to evaluate and embrace new technologies of cooperation.

The Deputy Minister said this on Wednesday at a stakeholder forum on Public/Private Partnerships (PPP) for Community Water Solutions in Accra organised by Safe Water Network, an NGO.

He said the government hoped to increase coverage for safe drinking water in both rural and urban areas to 65 per cent and 76 per cent by the end of 2025.

Mr Ahi commended the contribution of Safe Water Network for providing reliable, affordable and safe water access to several communities in Accra, Volta, Eastern, Western and Ashanti regions.

He said the government would not relent in its effort to invest in the water sector to provide uninterrupted supply of safe and affordable water to every household in the country.

Mr Ahi said the government had completed the Accra-Tema Metropolitan Area Rural Water Supply Project, which has added 9.2 million gallons per day to water supply in Greater Accra.

He said the Ministry was working assiduously to complete the urban water projects at Akim-Oda, Akwetia, Winneba, Sekyere-Hemang and Wa.

He said under the rural water supply, projects such as the Peri-Urban and Small Towns and Sanitation in Brong Ahafo region, Sustainable Rural Water and Sanitation Project and the Northern region Small Towns Water and Sanitation Project are ongoing.

Mr Joseph Ampadu-Boakye, Market Development and Partnerships for Safe Water Network, said the forum was to stimulate discussion and exchange ideas to advance sustainable market-based approaches for community water solutions.

Mr Ampadu-Boakye said the event also builds upon 2014 forum where the PPP working group was constituted to develop a clear policy framework for successful private engagement in the public sphere of rural water supply.

He said the forum would dilate on opportunity to demonstrate a PPP for community water provision and develop a road map for pursing private partnership as well as policy recommendation.