Date: Sep 19 , 2019 .BY: Benjamin Xornam Glover
Residents of Teikpitikope, a community in the Ada East District of
the Greater Accra
The Volta River
Authority (VRA) in partnership with Project Maji Foundation, the water solution
partners of the Authority,provided the facility at a cost of GH¢ 50,000.00
 |
| Mr. Ken Arthur, (2nd right) being assisted by Ms Madam Sarah Dugbakie Pobee and Nene Lomo IV, (left) Divisional Chief of the Lomobiawe Clan of Ada to inaugurate the facility. |
At a ceremony to hand over the facility to the
community, the Director in charge of Kpong Retrofit Project of VRA, Mr Ken
Arthur, said the objective of providing the facility was to discourage people
from using untreated water as their main source of drinking water.
Bilharzia
Mr Arthur said
statistics from VRA's Environmental and Research Unit indicated that prevalence
rate of Bilharzia in the community was about 65 per cent stressing that the
worrying picture did not only call for urgent attention but also concerted
efforts by everyone in the community to improve the situation.
He admonished the people of Teikpitikope to desist from using untreated water
for drinking as well as defecating along the river, in order to halt the spread
of bilharzia and subsequently eradicating it.
He expressed
appreciation to the Ada East District Assembly and the Ghana Health Service for
the collaboration and urged all partners to sustain the education, screening
and mass drug administration of the Bilharzia disease in addition to the
provision of potable water and sanitation facilities.
The manager in charge of
Corporate Social Responsibility at VRA, Mr Samuel Fletcher, said the initial
idea was to provide borehole facilities for the community however after the
boreholes were drilled, it was detected that the water had high iron content
hence the change to a solar powered, sand filtration system using the river as
the main source of supply.
More help
Nene Ofoe Cherbie, a
representative of the Chief of Pediatorkope, Nene Tsatsu Pediator commended VRA
for the support and appealed to management to extend its intervention to the
over 300 communities along the river which were facing similar difficulties
with regard to access to drinking water.
The District Chief
Executive (DCE) for Ada East, Ms Sarah Dugbakie Pobee, advised the community to
take good care of the new facility handed over to them and ensure that it was
well maintained.
Writer's email: benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh
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