The Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources (MSWR), yesterday, signed contracts with two companies for the construction of sewer pipelines in Ashaiman Newtown and Bankuman in the Tema Metropolis.
The project, estimated at GH¢20.7 million aimed to improve sanitation in the beneficiary communities.
Mr Noah Tumfo, the Chief Director of MSWR signed for the ministry, while Messrs Eugene Mensah and Abubakari Mahama, initialled for their respective companies – Vuluxx Company Limited and Bothaa Limited.
Construction works would begin on Monday, March 16, 2020 and expected to be completed in eight months time.
Among other things, the project seeks to end open defecation, an age old practice where the people attend to nature’s call in nearby bushes and unacceptable places.
The scope of work, according to Mr George Asiedu, the Coordinator at the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area Sanitation and Water (GAMA-SWP) includes the connection of household toilets to a decentralised treatment unit.
He said Ashaiman and Bankuman, both lower income communities were selected because of existing sewer infrastructure in the communities.
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Mr Asiedu told journalists that the project when completed would benefit about 60,000 people.
For the Ashaiman project, the GAMA-SWP Coordinator stated that the contractor would lay 24 kilometres pipelines while the one working on the Bankuman project would lay 5.1 kilometres pipeline each of which would be connected to a pumping station and a waste water treatment plant.
He noted that the Ashaiman treatment plant would process 1,800 cubic metres of raw faecal matter every day, while that of Bankuman is projected to process 600 cubic metres of raw faeces daily.
Mr Asiedu said about 217,000 people had already benefited from subsidised toilets under the GAMA-SWP.
The sector Minister, Mrs Cecilia Abena Dapaah said waste water from the processed faeces would be used for irrigation to boost agricultural productivity.
She urged the contractors to work diligently to ensure the project is completed on time.
The Municipal Chief Executive of Ashaiman, Mr Albert Boakye Okyere said the residents were excited about the project, adding that the assembly had began payment of compensations to those affected by the project.
Alhaji Abubakar Mahama, the Managing Director of Bothaaa Limited affirmed his commitment to ensure speedy completion of work.
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
