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Water pilferage, sixteen million gallons daily and
counting
Accra, March 18, Ghanadot/GNA- Alhaji Abubakr Saddique
Boniface, Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing on
Tuesday said potable water supply in the country was 85
million gallons as against demand of 150 million gallons and
much of the loss was though illegal connections.
He said, in all, 16 gallons of water are lost daily.
Answering questions in Parliament, Alhaji Boniface said in
just one day, an inspection team detected 100 illegal
connections, adding that stealing of water lines constituted
financial loss to the state.
He said the Cabinet approved a national water policy in June
2007, which was intended to provide a framework for
sustainable development of Ghana’s water resources.
The policy, organised under three sections, targets all
water users, water managers practitioners and other
stakeholders within the centralized government decentralized
structures and international agencies.
Alhaji Boniface announced that water was being rationed in
Accra and poly-tanks had been placed at strategic places to
ease the current water shortage situation in Accra.
He said, in addition to mechanized boreholes, an additional
funding of US$250 million was being raised to add to the
source of the water supply in Accra.
However, he added that, some places in Accra were not having
water because on an on-going East/West Interconnectivity,
expected to be completed in three to four months time.
When completed the connectivity would increase the supply of
water by 15 million gallons, Alhaji Boniface said.
Meanwhile the House has approved an amount of GHC
163.025,000 to be released to the Ghana Education Trust Fund
(GETFund) for distribution to designated sectors and
institutions for the year 2008.
It also approved a motion proposed formula for the
distribution of GHC 234, 290,700 for the year 2008.
GNA
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