Sanitation and Water Resources Minister, Hon. Cecilia Abena Dapaah says, her Ministry is primarily, a policy oriented organization and not the implementers, and it will be out of place to assume the role of implementing sanitation and water issue.
The Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDCEs) she explained, are mandated to implement the policies of the Ministry. The Ministry therefore only comes in when the MMDCEs are overwhelmed with the implementations.
Explaining that the establishment of the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources in 2017 by the President was in the right direction towards solving the Country’s challenges in the Sanitation Sector, and so would not hesitate to give all needed assistance to the various MMDAs to enable them perform their expected roles. The Assemblies she said, are the direct implementing agencies of all sanitation and water-related issues.
In an interview with the media in Kumasi, Cecelia Abena Dapaah reiterated governments’ absorption of a 3 months water bill of Ghanaians to assist them in this pandemic era as a form of relief.
It is also to demonstrate government’s commitment towards the fighting of the spread of the COVID 19 pandemic.
She warned against those who wouldabuse the magnanimity of the government by misusing the utility support, and said, offenders would be punalised.
On the supply of water by tankers to the various Communities, the Sector Minister urged the service providers to register with the Ghana Water Company Limited for their services to be streamlined for effective delivery.
Ghana Water Company Limited and the Community Water and Sanitation Agency have therefore been directed not to issue bills to consumers until the expiration of the 3 months.
The Minister was concerned over the pollution of water bodies which raises the cost of water treatment.
She said the more water bodies are polluted, the more difficult it becomes for Ghana Water Company to treat it for consumption.
Godfred Sey/Ahotoronline
