11 DISTRICTS TO BENEFIT FROM SANITATION PROJECT (PAGE 34)

ELEVEN districts in the Eastern Corridor in the Northern Region are to benefit from a $29-million water and sanitation project to help eliminate guinea worm and other water-borne diseases in the area.
Seventeen million dollars of the amount will be invested in the provision of water and sanitation, while the rest will be channelled into capacity building and technical assistance.
The Northern Region Small Town (NORST) water project is being funded by the Canadian government. Thirty small towns are to benefit from the seven-year project.
The project is being facilitated by the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA), with COWATER International of Canada serving as the advisory agency.
This was disclosed at a NORST inception meeting attended by representatives of the beneficiary districts, officials of the CWSA and the Canadian Advisory Committee in Tamale on Tuesday.
According to the Northern Regional Director of the CWSA, Mr Wigberty Y. Dogoli, about 125,000 people were expected to benefit from the project.
‘‘It would also strengthen local capacity to manage and sustain access to potable water and sanitation services in the small towns,’’ he indicated.
The director further explained that the overall objective of the project was to increase supply of sustainable, locally managed potable water and sanitation services in the region.
He said the successful implementation of the project would complement other interventions in the sector over the years and therefore called for the effective co-operation by the people.
The NORST Project Director, Andrews Livingston, said the programme was a partnership between the Canadian and Ghanaian governments.
He said it would increase the capacity of stakeholders at regional, district and sub-district levels to effectively fulfil their respective roles in the delivery of potable water and sanitation services.
‘‘Arrangement between Canada and Ghana, including a detailed appended plan of operation, will specify the criteria and procedures for the allocation and disbursement of these funds,’’ the director explained.
Mr Livingston further indicated that the responsibility for the achievement of project results would be shared by the CAA, CWSA and beneficiary districts.