Catholic Relief Services commission water system at Tantala to tackle poor sanitation, hygiene

The Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has commissioned a limited mechanized water supply system in Tantala in the Mamprugu Moagduri district of the North East Region to tackle poor sanitation and hygiene.

The project was constructed under the Catholic Relief Services’ Integrated Community Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Improvement (ICOWASH 2.0) project which has seen the investment of $ 1.4 million for three

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The water system is part of other facilities such as latrines, boreholes, incinerators and bathrooms provided by CRS to schools, health centres and communities to improve the health and sanitary conditions in three districts.

Aside from the Mamprugu Moagduri district, the ICOWASH 2.0 project is also been implemented in the Talensi and West Mamprusi districts.

Speaking at the commissioning, the project manager, Chimbar Tom Laari, said the CRS with the provision of the facilities, hoped to achieve an improvement in the health and general well-being of the people.

He stressed the importance of a clean and hygienic environment in the development of communities, urging the residents of the beneficiary communities to maintain safer, cleaner and hygienic surroundings.

Laari said as an organisation committed to improving the lives of the people, the CRS would continue to invest its resources in deprived areas.

"We would continue to do a lot more to bring smiles to the people of Mamprugu Moagduri district, one of the most deprived districts that a lot of NGOs do not want to go to.

But as an organisation that loves to deal with the last mile people, the most deprived and vulnerable populations, we will continue to invest our resources".

Access to potable water

The District Chief Executive for Mamprugu Moagduri, Abu Adam said access to potable water has dominated various discourses and continues to take centre stage in the district.

He said it was therefore gratifying that the Catholic Relief Services has taken it upon itself to provide communities in the district with potable water and other facilities.

Adam said the crucial role of the CRS in providing the water and toilet facilities, was not only going to help the residents to have easy access to clean drinking water, but also help to improve sanitation and hygiene by ending open defecation.

The DCE commended the CRS for taking the fight against poor sanitation to schools in the district and urged residents to put to good use and maintain the facilities for the benefit of future generations.

Community acceptance

For his part, the CRS Country Director, Daniel Mumuni, thanked the Tantala community for the collaboration the CRS enjoyed leading to the execution of the projects.

He said as a people-centered organisation, building stronger relationships with communities was integral in their work. He added that the support the CRS had from the Tantala chief, elders and people was one that hugely helped the projects.

He also thanked the district assembly and the Member of Parliament for the Yagaba-Kubori, Mustapha Ussif for their support to the CRS.

The President and Chief Executive Officer of the Catholic Relief Services, Sean Callahan, who was well received by the chief, elders and people of Tantala and enskinned as "Maligu Naa" (Development Chief), reiterated calls to maintain the facilities for continued use.

He urged the residents to use the facilities to improve their sanitation and hygiene to ensure a healthier community.

He said the CRS on the other hand would continue to support Ghanaian communities and especially school children to learn and improve on sanitation and hygiene.

He was hopeful that supports that come from the American people will be put to judicious use to bring positive change in the lives of the people.