MTN Ghana Foundation and Plan Ghana have commissioned a water project for about 1, 415 residents of Kpeve-Tornu at a total cost of GH¢95,590.95.
The project entailed the extension of pipelines from the Ghana Water Company Limited Head works at Kpeve to the Tornucommunity. Itinvolved the laying of pipes through a distance of about 3.5km.The project which took about fourweeks to complete commenced in May this year.
MTN Ghana Foundation contributed GH¢ 55,590.95 of the project cost while Plan Ghana provided the remaining GH¢ 40,000.00. Plan Ghana also supported the training of aWater and Sanitation (WATSAN) committee that has been formed to ensure effective utilization and maintenance of the project. Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) supervised the work.
The MTN Ghana Foundation became aware of the Kpeve-Tornu water problem through a GTV news item in late 2009. In that news item, members of the community were seen drinking untreated water directly from the Dayi River. This resulted in the spread of water-borne diseases such as bilharzia among the inhabitants, especially school children.
During the commissioning of the project, Mr. Frazier Appeadu Malcolm,Portfolio Advisor, Economic Empowerment MTN Ghana Foundation said, “with the successful completion and commissioning of the project, the people of Kpeve-Tornu will now have access to potable water and the incidence of bilharzia and other water borne diseases will be reduced and eventually eradicated. The project will improve productivity and greatly enhance the wellbeing of the people living in the community”.
He added, “our provision of safe drinking water for Kpeve-Tornu also supports the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals on health by addressing the core issues of water and sanitation problems in deprived communities”.
Mr. Eric Ayaba who represented the Country Director of Plan Ghana said,“we were very happy when MTN Ghana Foundation agreed to partner usto bring hope to a deprived and marginalized community through the provision of potable water. We greatly appreciate this collaboration and are prepared, together with the Foundation, to execute more of such life- saving projects in other communities.” He further urged the community to cherish and make good use of the potable water and to avoid unnecessary wastage.
The Regional Engineer of Ghana Water Company Limited, Mr. Emmanuel Johnson, stated that although the project had been in their plan for a long time itcould not be implemented due to lack of funds. MTN and Plan Ghana’s intervention were therefore timely and could be described as a lifesaving venture. He appealed to the people of Kpeve-Tornu to help protect the water body which was the main source of supply for Ghana Water Company Limited.
Located in the Volta Region, Kpeve-Tornu is a fishing community situated on the banks of River Dayi, a tributary of the Volta Lake.
In the area of water projects, the MTN Ghana Foundation has also drilled 20 bore-holes in orderto provide potable water to thousands of people in deprived communities. Over 20,000 residents from20 communities in the Wa East and Lawra Districts in the Upper West region have benefitted from bore holes drilled by the MTN Ghana Foundation at a cost of GH¢ 178,000.