Mr Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, the Deputy Attorney General and Minister of Justice, has inaugurated a newly constructed solar-powered water facility to serve five-cluster communities in the Sunyani Municipality.
Hitherto, the Ghana News Agency (GNA) gathered that the residents of Adedase, Domeabra, Anokyekrom, Agyemankrom, and Asamoakrom farming communities depended on nearby streams and wells for potable drinking water.
Previously, they shared the streams with stray animals, including cattle and pigs, and that was affecting their general health and wellbeing.
Touched by their predicament, the Sunyani-based Forsports Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) and its international partners, the K.V.M.O.e.V, Cologne, Germany, came to aid and constructed the facility for the communities.
Work on the construction of water facility was sponsored by the Minister für Bundes- und Europaangelegenheiten sowie Internationales des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen through the Engagement Global, a non-profit organisation, headquarters in Bonn.
Speaking at a short ceremony held at Adedase, where the facility is situated, Mr Tuah-Yeboah expressed gratitude to the project sponsors, and emphasised the importance of the private sector involvement in community development.
“The government alone cannot shoulder the responsibility of meeting all the needs of the people,” he stated, saying it was therefore vital that the private sector partners supported “initiatives like this because water is life and an essential resource for all.”
Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Bono Regional Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment in tackling the development needs of the people, and expressed appreciation to the partners for the gesture.
She also acknowledged and appreciated the partners for helping to put up a community school in the area, describing the facility as a valuable asset for the people.
Dr Eugen Litvinov, a representative of the sponsors, highlighted the strong partnership between the Westfalen province and Ghana, which had made it possible for the communities to benefit from such impactful projects.
He recollected his visit to Tanoano, another beneficiary community of a similar solar-powered borehole facility this year, saying the facility was significantly improving access to water and reducing the burden of the people, mostly women and children who had to walk distances to fetch water previously.
Mr Christopher Forsythe, the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Forsports Foundation, said his NGO cherished the collaboration with the international partners in alleviating the plight of the rural folks.
“This new borehole project marks another milestone in the on-going collaboration between Forsports Foundation, K.V.M.O.e.V, and the government of Ghana, underscoring the value of international partnerships in improving the quality of life for local communities,” he stated.
Mr Forsythe said his NGO was also undertaking a climate change project focused on tree planting, as well as a Gender Equality project, saying as part of the project implementation an open-day football festival would be held at Abesim, near Sunyani in March 2025.
Nana Akwasi Donkor, the Chief of Adedase, expressed his heartfelt appreciation to the project sponsors, describing the facility as timely, saying it would address a critical need for the communities.
He appealed for further support, particularly towards acquiring additional equipment so that the solar power could also be used for community lighting, and added that the school in the area also needed a centre to advance the study of Information Communication and Technology.
GNA
DEN/LKA
5 Oct 2024
Caption: Picture shows group picture, facility
