President Nana Akufo-Addo has cut the sod for the construction of the Tamale Water Supply Project, as part of his tour of the Northern Region.

Speaking at the ceremony on Tuesday, the President said the Tamale Water Supply Project seeks to expand the supply capacity of the Tamale Metropolitan area, and also improve upon the flexibility of water supply, by building a new water supply system which will rely on the White Volta at Yapei, with a 29.7 million gallons per day capacity water treatment plant.

“This will be, by far, the biggest water project in the five northern regions, and the second biggest in the history of our country,” he said.

Explaining the rationale for the Project, the President stated that Tamale, like most parts of the country, is faced with rapid population growth, which, unfortunately, has been a key factor militating against the provision of adequate social infrastructure for Ghanaians, with the demand for water outstripping supply in Tamale.

He recounted how, in 1971, under the Progress Party Government of the late Prime Minister Kofi Abrefa Busia, the Tamale Water Supply System, at Nawuni on the White Volta River, was constructed to serve Tamale and its environs.

It, however, took government of President John Agyekum Kufuor to make an intervention was made to improve the water supply situation, by expanding the works at Dalun, which included the construction of a 20,000 cubic metre storage reservoir at Kukuo Yepalsi. This intervention increased the production of the water treatment plant from 25,000 cubic metres per day to 40,000 cubic metres per day.

“I have recounted the history of water supply to Tamale in order to place in proper context the significance of the current intervention to meet the water demand for Tamale and its environs, looking at a planning horizon up to the year 2040,” he said.

Government, President Akufo-Addo said, will construct a new water treatment plant at Yapei, thereby making available two water supply systems working concurrently to supply water to Tamale and its environs in order to guarantee the availability of enough potable water in the Metropolis, as this will extend the coverage area of water supply.

“To execute this project on a turnkey basis, Government has secured a credit facility amounting to $223,287,979.56 from the UK Export Finance and the Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch,” he said.

The President continued, “I am happy to state that, upon completion, the project will provide potable water to over 792,000 inhabitants of Tamale and its environs.

"This ties in with Government’s agenda of ensuring that, by the year 2030, as enshrined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, all Ghanaians will have access to potable water, in other words, there will be ‘Water For All’”.

The beneficiary towns and communities of this Project in Tamale and its environs include Cheshegu, Nanton, Yapei/Yipala, Chirifoyili, Nyankpala, Yepeligu, Dalun, Pong Tamale, Yoggo, Gbullung, Sanerigu, Zagayull, Gurugu, Sankpala, Zangbulung, Jisonayili, Savelegu, Kusawgu, Kakpagayili, Tibung, Bagabaga, Kanvili, Tolon, Tamale Township, Kumbungu, and Vitin.

Water For All

Reiterating his Government’s policy to ensure that all the 16 regions of the country have access to water, he told residents of Tamale that since he assumed in 2017, his Government has embarked on securing funding for the construction of water treatment plants, to increase access to water of the citizenry, and to create the enabling environment to attract local as well as foreign investors.

“I am happy to announce that Government has secured funding for the Upper East, Tamale, Damongo, Yendi, Wenchi, and Keta Water Supply Projects. The Upper East Water Supply Project, which began in 2018, is progressing steadily, whilst the sod cutting for the Damongo and Yendi projects will take place tomorrow, and those of Wenchi and Keta shortly,” he said.

Upon completion, these projects will serve a total population of 1.6 million people, adding that “in addition, Government has also secured funding for the construction of the Sunyani Water Supply Project, Sekondi-Takoradi Water Supply Project, and Techiman Water Supply Project, all subject to pending cabinet and parliamentary approvals.”

Government, the President assured, “is going through the process of securing funding for the Tarkwa, Fanteakwa-Begoro, Hohoe, Assin Fosu, Kpong Phase II, and Dambai Water Supply Projects, as well as the Weija Dam Rehabilitation, and Barekese Dam Expansion Projects.”