Wenchi: Construction of the Wenchi Water Supply Project in the Bono Region is about 97 percent complete, Mr. Adam Mutawakilu, Managing Director of Ghana Water Limited (GWL), has said. He mentioned that while the progress of the project has been impressive, delays in completion have been attributed to outstanding payments on some Interim Payment Certificates (IPCs). However, he assured that the project would reach completion by June this year.
According to Ghana News Agency, the facility's completion is expected to enhance national water coverage and support the Government's initiative to provide potable water to the populace. Mr. Mutawakilu emphasized the commitment of GWL, in collaboration with the Ministry of Works and Housing, to meet the increasing water demands, especially in urban and peri-urban areas.
Mr. Mutawakilu expressed these remarks during an interview after inspecting the project as part of his working visit to the region. The inspection included a tour of the intake point, treatment plant, and overhead tanks, highlighting two tanks with capacities of 2,300 cubic meters and 900 cubic meters, respectively, that have been constructed. He indicated that the visit aimed to monitor progress and ensure completion within the extended June deadline.
He addressed challenges facing the project, affirming that solutions would be implemented, noting that turbidity levels at the intake point were favorable and expected to remain stable. "When completed, the facility will meet the projected water demand of Wenchi and surrounding communities for at least the next 15 years," he stated.
The Managing Director also mentioned that work on the Sunyani Water System expansion and rehabilitation had stalled due to certain International Monetary Fund (IMF) conditionalities, but assured that work would resume once these constraints were addressed. On the matter of illegal mining affecting water quality, Mr. Mutawakilu clarified that GWL was not responsible for river protection, which falls under the Water Resources Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency.