Ghana Parliament approves USD 125 million for GAMA Sanitation and Water Project

Parliament of Ghana has approved USD 125 million for the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area Sanitation and Water Project (GSWP), according to a news report by Ghanian Times.

The financing agreement between the government and the International Development Association (IDA), is expected to provide access to improved sanitation to about 252,000 residents of Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) and Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area (GKMA).

This will be used for the construction of 42,000 household toilets - 30,000 in GKMA and 12,000 in GAMA - and each eligible household will be provided with 70 percent support up to a maximum of USD 600 to make the capital costs of the toilets affordable to them.

The project is expected to be complete within four years after commencement, it would help improve and expand wastewater and fecal sludge collection, transportation, and treatment.

Chairman of the Finance Committee, Dr. Mark Assibey-Yeboah, moving the motion for the adoption and approval of the Committee's report said the project was consistent with the Coordinated Programme of Economic and Social Development Policies (CPESDP) 2017 -2024.

The project, according to Dr. Assibey-Yeboah, MP, New Juaben South, was in line with the government's objective of improving access to water and sanitation services for all Ghanaians.

This, he said, would be done through improved water production and distribution and scaling up investments in the sanitation sector.

With an objective to establish a national sanitation fund and implement the 'Toilet for All' and 'Water for All' programs under the Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP), Dr. Assibey-Yeboah said this would speed up Ghana's attainment of the United Nations' Sustainable Development (SDG) goal six.