Press spotlights World Bank’s advice to Ghana to prioritise water projects, others

APA – Accra (Ghana)
The World Bank’s advice to the Ghanaian government to prioritise water projects with funding from the bank is one of the trending stories in the Ghanaian press on Wednesday.
The Ghanaian Times reports that the World Bank is asking Ghana to prioritise water projects with funding from the bank.
It said that there were limited financing resources for water and sanitation and with the Greater Accra Metropolitan Sanitation and Waste Project (GAMA) nearing completion, it was necessary for the Ministry of Finance to prioritise water projects.
Mr Saroj Kumar Jha, Global Director, Water, World Bank, brought this up during a conversation with the Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Ms Cecilia Abena Dappah, in Accra yesterday, ahead of the launch of the Ghana Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Sector Development Programme today.
He said the bank would like to strengthen partnership with Ghana by leveraging the success-es chalked in the provision of water and good sanitation for the people.
Ms Dapaah for her part, thanked the bank for inviting Ghana to the Annual Expert gathering recently held in Washington DC, United States to share its expertise in WASH.
Ms Dapaah told the World Bank team that Ghana continued to make strides in providing good sanitation and clean drinking water especially for the poor and the vulnerable.
Among other things, the sector minister said the government borrowed more than $1 billion and had embarked on different sanitation and water projects in various regions in Ghana.
Currently, the GAMA Sanitation and Water Project (SWP) has provided thousands of household, institutional toilet and water facilities in the Greater Accra and the Ashanti regions.
The World Bank funded project will be completed by December 2024 and the ultimate goal is to make access to good sanitation to the people in line with the Sustain¬able Development Goals (SDGs).
The newspaper says that Ghana’s bilateral lenders are discussing the formation of an official creditor committee, a first step needed to engage in debt relief talks for the country, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the matter.
The Paris Club of creditor nations has contacted other bilateral creditors, such as China and India, to engage in forming the committee and deciding who would chair it, one of the sources said.
“Hopefully, it should be resolved soon,” a second source added, without providing further details on the timing.
Ghana in January became the fourth nation to apply to the common framework platform, an initiative of the Group of 20 major economies launched in 2020 to streamline debt restructuring efforts for poorer countries.
China is Ghana’s single biggest bilateral creditor with $1.7 billion of debt, while Ghana owes $1.9 billion to Paris Club members, according to data from the Institute of International Finance (IIF).
Chinese lending represents around 80 per cent of non-Paris Club debts. The country’s total external debt is $28.4 billion.
The government decided to restructure its domestic debt in December, and after five extensions, it announced on Tuesday that they have received support from 80 per cent of creditors.
Also, the largest holders of Ghana’s overseas debt formed a creditor group in December for debt rework talks with the government, the newspaper said, quoting the report by Reuters.
The Graphic reports that President Akufo-Addo has assured that his government will remain steadfast in ensuring a consistent power supply, despite the fluctuations in global energy prices, as the alternative is not acceptable.
Speaking at the inauguration of the US$40 million 161-kilovolt GRIDCo, ECG Bulk Power Supply Point at Adabraka in Accra on Tuesday, June 13, the President emphasized that the nation would not revert to the era of power outages, known as “dumsor,” which occurred during the tenure of former President John Dramani Mahama.
“We are not going back to dumsor, we leave that to President Mahama,” he said.
In his address, President Akufo-Addo emphasized the significance of stable and affordable electricity in the 21st century, stating that access to reliable power is vital for a country’s industrialization and the improvement of citizens’ quality of life.
He highlighted the essential role electricity plays in daily activities, from charging mobile phones to running businesses, and stressed the need for universal power coverage to fuel economic growth.
The President also acknowledged the importance of meeting the power demands of Accra’s Central Business District, where the electricity consumption rate is projected to grow by 10% annually.
The Greater Accra region is expected to reach a power demand of 1,000 megavolt-ampere (MVA) with an average annual growth rate of 8%. He emphasized that the Accra Central Bulk Power Supply Project aligns with the country’s power needs and economic development.
President Akufo-Addo lauded the completion of the 161-kilovolt Bulk Supply Point, which ensures stable and reliable electricity supply to the bustling Accra Central Business District and surrounding areas.
He expressed gratitude to the Japanese government and the Japanese International Development Agency (JICA) for their generous grant and technical assistance, which contributed to the realization of the project.
The President also thanked the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), traditional leaders, and other stakeholders who supported the project.
The Accra Central Bulk Power Supply Project is equipped with gas-insulated substation technology, enabling the installation of compact switchgear and transformers in limited spaces. This innovation reduces transmission and distribution losses, improves power supply reliability, and enhances personnel safety.
With the successful operationalization of the Accra Central BSP, voltage stability has increased, power supply reliability has improved, and system losses have been minimized, meeting the requirements set by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC).
The newspaper says that the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has emphasised the need for all to work towards consolidating the gains of Ghana’s 30 years of uninterrupted constitutional democracy.
He described Ghana’s journey in Multiparty Constitutional Democracy as a remarkable achievement worthy of celebration.
He said it was an opportunity for Ghanaians to remember where the country came from, reflect and examine the journey, challenges and opportunities, and map out the way forward.
Mr Bagbin said this when he paid a courtesy call on the Overlord of Mamprugu, Nayiri Naa Bohagu Mahami Abdulai Sheriga, in Nalerigu yesterday.
The visit formed part of a week-long activities being organised by Parliament in the northern part of the country to celebrate Ghana’s 30 years of uninterrupted constitutional democracy.
It aimed at fostering civic engagement and enhancing public awareness of Ghana’s parliamentary democracy.
Democratic dispensation
Paying a glowing tribute to the traditional authorities for their contribution to the democratic dispensation, Mr Bagbin said the story of Ghana’s journey in uninterrupted constitutional democracy could not be told without the traditional rulers.
He urged the citizenry to develop interest in parliamentary activities, saying, “let’s all show interest in parliamentary affairs and not leave everything to only the politicians.”
“It is not only for the District Chief Executives and Members of Parliament but we all must get involved in the governance of the country,” he stated.
For his part, Naa Bohagu Sheriga thanked the Speaker for the visit him and said he was the first Speaker of Parliament to have visited during the Fourth Republic.
GIK/APA