Nzulezu, 10 others get potable water
More than 30,000 people in 11 communities in the twin districts of Ellembelle and Jomoro in the Western Region now have potable water, thanks to Kosmos Energy Ghana and Safe Water Network, with support from the Community Water and Sanitation Agency.
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Kosmos sponsored the provision of a water treatment plant with the capacity to produce more than 100,000 litres of potable water a day at Beyin. It installed two overhead reservoirs, a distribution network with five remote kiosks and 15 standpipes in seven communities.
The facility will benefit communities including the stilt village of Nzulezu, Eikwe, Anochie, Ngalekyi, Ngalekpoley, Krisan and Baku.
Those communities hitherto had no source of safe drinking water and depended on streams and stagnant water which were also the sources of drinking water for stray and domestic animals in the communities.
The first phase of the project, which was completed in April 2013, provided clean drinking water for more than 6,000 people at Beyin, Ngelekazo, Ekebaku and Atuabo.
The Vice-President and Country Manager of Kosmos Energy Ghana, Mr Ken Keag, said he was proud that Kosmos had played such a pivotal role in bringing water to the people of Nzulezu and the other communities.
Kosmos Energy, he said, was committed to maintaining strong and supportive relationships with its stakeholders and communities to create value and lay the best foundation for sustainable business.
Mr Keag said the company’s partnership with Safe Water Network and the communities was aimed at providing cost-effective, community-managed and affordable safe water and improved hygiene solutions for several coastal communities in the region.
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He recalled that during interactions with the communities to outline the company’s plan for the beneficiary communities, the Paramount Chief of the Western Nzema Traditional Area, Awulae Annor Adjaye III, appealed for potable water for the communities, citing the case of Nzulezu which is built on water but, ironically, has no potable water.
The Chief Executive Officer of Safe Water Network, Kurt Soderlund, said preserving Nzulezu’s unique character presented the project’s greatest challenge, which was overcome by running 6.2 kilometres of underground pipe through marshes and waterlogged terrain to reach the town.
He said in addition to making the much needed investment in infrastructure, the partnership between Safe Water and Kosmos had begun implementing health and hygiene education programmes to improve health outcomes and ensure programme sustainability.
“Kosmos Energy is a critical partner in our mission to improve the health and livelihoods of communities in Ghana, and by building local capacity and capability for communities to own and manage their water systems, we are implementing a truly sustainable model for safe water delivery,” Mr Soderlund said.
Members of the community expressed their gratitude to Kosmos Energy for the support and noted that the provision of water would boost tourism at Nzulezu.
They said even though the stilt village was one of the best and most popular tourist destinations, the lack of basic facilities such as water and electricity discouraged many tourists from going there.
With the extension of electricity and water to the community, tourism was expected to be boosted to transform the local economy, they opined.