Chinese govt funds 1,000 boreholes in Ghana

The Chinese government is funding the construction of 1000 boreholes in selected villages in six regions of the country as part of efforts to provide potable water to beneficiary communities.

The $20 million project forms part of a China Aid Project that began in February 2016 after an agreement was signed between the governments of Ghana and China in 2015. It is scheduled for completion by the end of 2018.

The beneficiary regions are Eastern, Western, Volta, Northern, Brong Ahafo and Upper East.

Inspection

Speaking to journalists last Monday after inspecting some of the boreholes in the Eastern Region, the Project Manager of Zhongmei Engineering Group Limited, Mr Huang Xian Zhou, said the list of beneficiary communities in each of the regions was provided by the government of Ghana.

“Each region got about 160 boreholes and the local people cooperated very well with us to finish the project. We appreciate that and we say thank you to them for their cooperation and help,” he stated.

According to Mr Huang, about 100 Ghanaians had been employed in the course of executing the project. He added that  the project was further testimony to the friendship and cooperation between the Chinese and Ghanaian people.

Significance

Residents of some beneficiary communities expressed delight and appreciation to their benefactors for the support, saying the provision of potable water all year round had not only helped them cut short long distances to streams to fetch untreated water, but had also improved school attendance and socioeconomic life in their respective communities.

Among communities visited were Nana Boame near Teacher Mante, off the Accra-Nsawam road in the Ayensua District, Asuboi in the Kraboa-Coaltar District, Santromor No. 1 in the Suhum District and Dago in the Akwapim South District.

Interview

In an interview with the Water Technician/Engineer of the Suhum Municipal Assembly, Mr Jasper Quarshie, he said his area had received a total of 10 boreholes under the China Aid programme.

He described the installation of the boreholes as significant.

“Now they are enjoying and their children are also going to school early. Now the water is just at their doorstep. They just wake up and fetch and then quickly run to school,” the engineer added.