SOCIAL

38 communities to get potable drinking water
Upper East Regional Minister, Stephen Yakubu, says the Government will soon commission a completed treatment plant at Tono in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality to provide portable water for 38 communities in the Region.

Date Created : 2/25/2022 12:00:00 AM : Story Author : Ghanadistricts.com

He said the 38 communities, located in major towns including Navrongo, Bolgatanga and Bongo among others, would benefit from the yet to be commissioned plant, when it starts full operation.

The Minister said this when he addressed the third International Conference on Irrigation and Agriculture Development (IRAD) at the University for Development Studies in Tamale, capital of the Northern Region.

The Conference was on the theme: “Mining, Water Resources Management and Environmental Sustainability in Africa: Opportunities and Challenges.”

Mr Yakubu said apart from the construction of the plant, the Government had rehabilitated and handed over the Tono Dam Project, which has the capacity to irrigate about 11,000 acres of land for commercial agriculture production.

The Minister noted that water was one of the most permeate natural resources which constituted over 70 per cent of the earth’s surface.

He said water as a resource was increasingly becoming scarce and low in quality as a result of rapid population growth, urbanization, mining, agriculture, industrialization, hydropower generation and ecosystem support services.

He indicated that about 12 million deaths were attributed to water scarcity globally, saying that Africa was the most hit, and therefore charged the appropriate institutions to manage water resources well.

“The Vea, Tamne and Pwalugu Multi-Purpose Dams amongst others are all water resource projects ongoing in the region aimed at developing irrigation and agriculture production.” Mr Yakubu told participants at the conference.

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor in his address, disclosed that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was scheduled to launch the 2022 edition of the Green Ghana initiative on March 1.

He said the launch would aim to mobilize support towards the planting of 20 million trees across the country by June, 2022.
Mr Jinapor said through the Green Ghana initiative, the Ministry sought to restore the country’s lost forest cover and contribute towards the world’s fight against climate change.