Mike Muphy, Country Manager, Kosmos Energy breaking the grounds for the commencement of the project while the community members look on
Kosmos Energy Ghana (KEG), one of the Jubilee partners operating in the Jubilee Field in the Western region, has partnered with Safe Water Network, a developmental Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) to provide clean potable water to some communities in the Jomoro district of the region.
A ground breaking ceremony was held last Tuesday in the district for the construction of a new water station to serve two communities in the River Amanzuri basin, Beyin and Atuabo, which face major water challenges.
In addition, pipeline extensions will be created to serve smaller villages of Ngelekazo and Ekebaku. The initiative, which will span the latter part of 2012 to the second quarter of 2013, will also provide clean water to three other communities around River Alehyiale basin which include New Edobo, Old Edobo and Atsobanso.
Upon completion, the project is expected to supply water to over 6,500 people in the communities.
Speaking at the ceremony, Madam Sherry Ayitey, Minister for Environment, Science and Technology commended KEG for using part of its profits for projects that would benefit communities in the company’s catchment area.
She noted that the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) put emphasis on the need for every individual to have access to potable water and stressed that since access to clean water was a human rights issue, it was incumbent on all district assemblies to ensure that the people in the various localities had access to potable water.
The Minister appealed to the chiefs and people in the communities to take good care of the project after completion, so that it could last longer for generations yet unborn.
Mike Murphy, Vice President and Country Manager of Kosmos Energy, noted that the initiative was aligned with the company’s goal to build capacity and economic opportunities in its operational areas.
He said it also included capacity-building components to empower the communities to manage and operate the water systems.
The Country Manager of Kosmos disclosed that KEG’s decision to partner with Safe Water Network was because of its vast experience in building water systems which had provided safe access to over 35,000 people in different communities of Ghana.
He remarked that having access to clean water was essential to the preservation of life and the long term success of local communities.
Mr. Murphy pledged that KEG would help train some of the local people to acquire the requisite skills to be able to regularly maintain the facility for it to last long.
Charles Nimako, Director for the Africa Region, Safe Water Network mentioned that the project was a turnkey one, which eventually would see the communities owning and managing their water stations over the long term.
The Paramount Chief of Western Nzema, Awulae Annor Adjaye III, who was very glad, said with the water project in place, the situation where the people had to drink the same water that pigs in the area also drink, would be a thing of the past.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Benyin