Central, Eastern Regions To Benefit From New Water Project

The perennial problem of water shortage faced by parts of the Central and Eastern regions will soon be a thing of the past.

This is because work is expected to be completed next month on the new water treatment stations being constructed in Winneba, Akim Oda and Akwatia.

Barring any new unforeseen challenges, the Turkey construction company, Arda Grup, hopes they would be ready in July for inauguration by the President.

Estimated at over $165 million, they are jointly financed by the government, the Arda Grup of Turkey and the Turkish Eximbank.

The projects will benefit a greater part of the Central Region, including Cape Coast, and many communities surrounding Akim Oda and Akwatia in the Eastern Region.

The Chief Executive Officer of Arda Grup, Mrs Serpil Ozturk, who disclosed this during an interaction with journalists, said: “We are finishing the fresh water treatment facilities by the end of July, and we are so proud to come so close to the completion of this very important project.”

The forum was to brief the media on the progress of the projects since the company began operations in the country in 2011.

The project involved the construction of a drinking water infrastructure at Akim Oda and Akwatia with nourishing communities such as Oda, Asene, Aabo, Batabi, Manso, Amentsem, Akwatia, Boadua, Topreman, Bamanese, GCD, Asubane Number 4 and Anweaso.

Modification and rehabilitation works were done on the Winneba treatment plant with the provision of a new treated water pumping station, new booster pumping station and ground level reservoirs at Asene, Akwatia, Winneba Manso and Amentem.

To facilitate its work the company set up a number of subsidiaries to undertake various aspects of the project, including a mechanical assembly.

The company is also constructing office and residential accommodation for staff of the Ghana Water Company who would take over and manage the facilities upon completion. It has employed more than 1,000 Ghanaians.

To alleviate the suffering of some of the communities while the project was on-going, the Arda Grup constructed mechanised wells in a number of the communities, including Nyamekye and Soldierkrom.

Mrs Ozturk told the journalists that the company hoped to invest in more infrastructural projects to support Ghana’s development.

“We believe in Ghana’s future; Ghana is a dynamic young country with a high potential; the future will be bright for the people,” she said, adding, “We feel at home in Ghana; it is definitely our second home and we will like to play a part in its developmental efforts”.

Mrs Ozturk hinted that the company envisaged making Ghana its base from which to expand its operations to other African countries.