Chiana (U/E), April 23, GNA- The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) through its various assistance programmes to Ghana, has funded the drilling and installation of more than 3000 boreholes in deprived communities of the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions. Besides, CIDA has provided support to the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) to rehabilitate 36 small town water systems in the three Northern regions. Mr. Raphael Nampusuor, Water and Sanitation Specialist of the District Capacity building Project (DISCAP), disclosed this on Wednesday at Chiana in the Kassena-Nankana District of the Upper East Region when he briefed visiting CIDA President, Mr. Paul Thibault on DISCAP activities in Northern Ghana. Mr. Nampusour said the DISCAP project is assisting to build the physical and human capacities of district assemblies, local communities and civil society groups to efficiently run and manage their water systems. He said though there is the need to encourage communities to manage their own water and sanitation facilities, experience indicated that the district assemblies and local people did not have the capacities to embrace this new idea of ensuring sustainability. Mr. Nampusuor said DISCAP has, therefore, embarked on a programme to train Water and Sanitation Development Boards as well as the District Assemblies in the three northern regions to facilitate community involvement in maintaining their water systems. Mr. Thibault on his part said his visit was to enable him to meet local people and see what they are doing to improve upon their lives. The CIDA president who is visiting Africa for the first time since assuming office in May last year as CIDA President, has already gone to Senegal and Mali where he met and interacted with civil society groups, local beneficiaries of CIDA funded projects and government officials. He said CIDA would continue to support Ghana in its developmental efforts, especially in empowering local communities to play a more meaningful role in all sectors of the society. 23 April 04
