Hot!
80,000 residents in Kumasi benefit from household toilets
Ms. Cecilia Abena Dapaah (in cap), Minister, Sanitation and Water Resources,
inspecting one of the facilities
So far 80,000 people have been provided with household toilets under the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Assemblies’ Sanitation and Water Project (GKMA-SWP) of the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources.
This followed the construction of 10,000 household toilets, since the start of the project a year and half ago.
Also, the project has awarded contracts to 129 contractors to provide 120 schools with toilets.
These came to light during a working tour of the sector Minister, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, to monitor the progress of work,here.
It is recalled the Minister, in November 19,2021,launched the GKMA-SWP project as part of government’s determination to provide pragmatic measures to find a lasting solution to the water and sanitation problems in the country.
The World Bank funded project is expected to construct 30,000 household toilet facilities in the GKMA before the close of the project in December 2024, with the bio-digester toilet system being the main containment technology.
It is an extension of the Greater Accra Sanitation and Water Project (GAMA- SWP), which started from 2015.
After a successful project implementation at the end of 2020, the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, with financial and technical support from the World Bank, agreed to extend the project to Greater Kumasi until the end of 2024.
In Kumasi, the project is being implemented in eight Metropolitan and Municipal Assemblies(MMAs)- Asokwa, Oforikrom, old Tafo, Suame, Kwadaso, Asokore Mampong Municipal Assembly, Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) and Ejisu Municipality.
Ms. Dapaah was full of hope the target would be met as she expressed satisfaction about the contractors’ performances.
During the visits, she took her time to interact with some of the beneficiaries and stressed the importance of maintaining the facilities.
At Oforikrom, Asokwa, Ejisu-Besease,among other places visited, the institutional toilet facilities were at their completion stages.
These facilities have private places for the school girls to enable them feel comfortable to manage their menstruation safely, hygienically with confidence and dignity.
Project Coordinator, George Asiedu, stated that the total cost of the project was $125 million out of which $51,550 million has been allocated for water supply which was being managed by the Ghana Water Company Limited with the sanitation component having $73,450 million.
According to Mr. Asiedu, 67 per cent of the sanitation fund had been spent so far on the project.
He said that government had absorbed over 75 per cent of the cost of construction of the toilets which households were expected to pay only GH¢1,200.00 for a complete toilet and GH¢700.00 for biodigester if they had the toilet building already.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
Education Minister Haruna Iddrissu has announced that government is working to make education free for all learners with special needs, with funding expected to come from GETFund.
He shared the plan during a press briefing with the media.
According to him, an initial estimate shows that the policy will require between 65 million and 100 million cedis every year.
He noted that GETFund currently has a budget of 9 million cedis, and with proper adjustments, it should be possible for the fund to release about 100 million cedis every other year to support the policy.
Mr Iddrissu added that government is also committed to providing free tertiary education for all persons with disabilities.
He explained that the support will go beyond classroom learning and will include feeding and the provision of assistive learning devices for learners with special needs.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana’s singing Prophet, Joseph Atarah, has released a video for his new song dubbed ‘Increase’. The video was directed and shot by renowned director, Sky Web.
The motivational video exhibits captivating dance moves, set against the vibrant and beautiful city of Accra. Prophet Atarah co-wrote the song with Nana Boateng.
Touching on the message during an interview on Hitz FM’s Daybreak Hitz, he said, ‘Increase’ is a motivational song telling people not to give up in their present situation. According to him, with determination and a relentless desire to succeed, God will make everything beautiful.
“As you trust in God’s plan, remember that ‘INCREASE’ is on the way. Just as seeds grow into harvest, your faith is growing into abundance. God’s got you, and His increase is surrounding you,” he added.
Prophet Atarah resigned from the military band in 2006 after an encounter with God to start his prophetic ministry and commenced his music journey about four years ago.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Join our WhatsApp Channel now!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
