The Akatsi North District has taken steps to repair 20 broken down hand pumps in the district to improve water facility functionality and service delivery.
Published on: 25/07/2013
The work began after high level officials of the district participated in a four-day training workshop on Service Delivery Approach (SDA) and Life Cycle Cost Approach (LCCA), organized by the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) and Triple-S project to build district level capacity in planning and budgeting for Water, Sanitation and hygiene (WASH) Services, held in Akatsi in the Volta Region.
Akatsi North District is one of the newly created Districts in the Volta Region. It was curved out of the former Akatsi district which is now split into two- Akatsi North and South, and was inaugurated in June 2012.
At the said workshop, Hon. James Gunu, District Chief Executive (DCE) for Akatsi North district acknowledged the importance of taking proper care of water facilities which he described as assets. He gave the commitment of his district to ensuring that water facilities deliver service always.
On the last day of the said training workshop, three important issues emerged requiring the attention of the leadership of Akatsi North and South District Assemblies and Community Water and Sanitation Agency. The issues include the role of CWSA in providing direct support to service providers and District Assemblies, financing of service monitoring and capital maintenance, and then asset condition survey.
It was during the discussion session on the way forward that Hon. James Gunu pledged this commitment and support to the course of sustaining water service delivery in his District. In less than a month, the District has committed about Twenty Two Thousand Ghana Cedis (GHC 22,000.00 or $11,000.00) for repairs/rehabilitation of all 20 broken down handpumps in Akatsi North District. As at 3rd July 2013, 11 of the 20 handpumps had been repaired/rehabilitated and delivering potable water to the beneficiary communities.
Below is a list of communities and handpumps that are expected to be repaired by the district assembly:
| No | Community | Broken down hand pumps | Repaired / replaced hand pump | Yet to be worked on | Type of pumps |
| 1 | Xevi | 1 | 1 | 0 | GMI MKII |
| 2 | Atiglime | 1 | 0 | 1 | Nira |
| 3 | Drekope | 1 | 1 | 0 | GMI MKII |
| 4 | Ave Afiadenyingba | 2 | 2 | 0 | AfriDev, GMI MII |
| 5 | Ave Dakpa | 1 | 1 | 0 | GMI MKII |
| 6 | Kpeduhoe | 1 | 0 | 1 | Nira |
| 7 | Amule | 3 | 2 | 1 | GMI MKII |
| 8 | Kpegbadza | 1 | 0 | 1 | GMI MKII |
| 9 | Ave Dzalele | 3 | 1 | 2 | GMI MII, Nira |
| 10 | Fiave | 1 | 1 | 0 | GMI MKII |
| 11 | Etekope | 1 | 1 | 0 | GMI MKII |
| 12 | Bame | 1 | 1 | 0 | GMI MKII |
| 13 | Avevi | 1 | 1 | GMI MKII | |
| 14 | Posumonu | 1 | 1 | GMI MKII | |
| Total | 19 | 11 | 8 |
To ensure that the beneficiary communities do not come back to the District Assembly in a short time requiring support again to fix broken down water facilities, the Assembly is in process of engaging a Partner Organization to reorganize and train facility management teams in the beneficiary communities. The two proactive steps are clear demonstrations of commitment and signs of preparedness of the District Assembly to support communities to operate, maintain and manage water infrastructure in a manner that can guarantee sustainable water service delivery, reduce disease burden and improve living conditions in the rural communities.
Compiled by: Chimbar Tom Laari
Regional Learning Facilitator – VR
Triple-S project/CWSA
Uploaded by:
Victor Narteh Otum
DCO-IRC Ghana
July 25, 2013
