Owabi undergoes engineering works

Page 13 (Politics) Nov 8, 2007
Story: Kweku Tsen & Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah.

ENGINEERING services have been undertaken to control perennial flooding on the Owabi Dam in the Ashanti Region, the Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing Alhaji Boniface Abubakar Saddique, informed Parliament yesterday.
According to him, the ministry was collaborating with the chief of Owabi to secure a tract of land from the traditional authorities for the programme to resettle the people of Owabi village to begin.
The minister, who was responding to a question from the Member of Parliament (MP) for Atwima-Nwabiagya, Mr Benito Owusu-Bio, said the engineering services were also to ensure the safety of the dam and its rehabilitation.
The MP enquired from Alhaji Saddique when the ministry would resettle the people of Owabi village, as a result of the perennial flooding, resulting from the construction of the Owabi Dam.
He explained that five households out of the 20 household in the had already been washed off and there was the need for immediate measures to be taken to resettle those who have been affected by the floods.
Mr Saddique also gave assurance that reservior of the dam would also be desilted as a measure to ensure that the bank did not overflow its banks.
In another development, the MP for Hohoe South, Mr Joseph Amenowode, asked the minister when pipe-borne water would be extended from the Kpeve Water Plant to a number of bilharzia endemic areas of the constituency.
Replying, Alhaji Saddique said the Community and Water Sanitation Agency (CWSA) had already drilled one borehole at Have Ando Number One, Have Ando Number Two, and Sadzikofe, while Goviefe Todzi was under the jurisdiction of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL).
“Mr Speaker, Sadzikofe is being considered under the next phase of the DANIDA programme in the Volta Region which has been scheduled to take off in 2009,” he said.
He said as an interim measure, the CWSA would consider drilling one borehole and fit it with a handpump under its programme in 2008.
The minister added that the GWCL had programmed to supply Goviefe Todzi with water from Kpeve, stressing that the scope of works required to hook the town was the installation of a pressure-reducing valve and the construction of a 22,000 gallons reservoir.
“The estimated cost is about GH¢70,000 and has been captured under the 2008 budget. Execution of the project will begin in February 2008 for completion in six months,” Alhaji Saddique said.
He said Kpeve would be provided with potable water by the end of June 2008.
The minister explained that works to provide the water involved the laying of pipes and the installation of a 22,000 gallons reservoir, all estimated to cost about GH¢60,000.
“The budget for the project is captured under the Government of Ghana 2008 financial estimates,” he said.