World Bank approves $373.3m to support Ghana’s urban water, transport sectors
The World Bank has approved $373.3 million to support Urban Water and Transport Sectors in seven regions in Ghana.
They are Ashanti, Central, Eastern, Northern, Volta, Upper West and Western Regions.
The bank approved $103 million for the Urban Water Sector out of which $60.7 million has already been disbursed.
Out of the remaining $270.3 million, $45 million was approved for the Urban Transport Sector and $16.1 million has been disbursed with remaining $225.3 million approved for the entire transport sector. $8.5 million dollars of this amount has been released.
An official statement copied to Ghana News Agency in Accra on Friday, said the projects were to significantly increase access to potable water in urban centers, with emphasis on improving access, affordability and service reliability to the urban poor.
Others are restoring long-term financial stability, viability and sustainability of the Ghana Water Company.
It said urban transport was assisted to improve mobility in participating Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) through a combination of traffic engineering measures, management improvements, regulation of the public transport industry, and implementation of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.
“Global environment objective is to promote a shift to more environmentally sustainable urban transport modes and encourage lower transport-related Green House Gas emissions along the pilot BRT corridor in Accra,” it said.
In addition, the transport sector project would improve mobility of goods and passengers through reduction in travel time and vehicle operating cost, while improving road safety standards.
The statement said the objective would be achieved through strengthening capacity of transport institutions in planning, regulation, operations and maintenance, and through infrastructure investment.
“All contracts tendered for works in Ashanti, Central, Eastern, Northern, Volta, Upper West and Western Regions under the Subsequent Years Investment Programme (SYIP) were awarded and construction has commenced in all the regions.
“All the contracts are expected to be completed during the first half of 2012, except for the Volta and Upper West Regions which are expected to be completed by October, 2012. The contracts add to a total of around $65 million,” the statement added.
In 2010, the World Bank launched its Policy on Access to Information.
The new policy represented a fundamental shift in the bank’s approach to disclosure of information moving from an approach that spelt out what information it could disclose under which the bank would disclose any information in its possession that was not on a list of exceptions.
“Now the public can get more information than ever before; information about projects under preparation, projects that are being implemented, analytic and advisory activities, and board proceedings.
“This enhanced transparency and accountability will allow for greater monitoring of the bank’s supported projects, thereby enabling better development results as well as providing an opportunity to better track the use of public funds,” it said.
Source: GNA
Finally I think the government began to think effectively in their people. I hope this money can improve the quality of life of our population. I also hope that some of this money can be used to improve our urban transport and finally, that the promise made by our Vice-President shall be fulfilled. I know now that soon people with disabilities will be transported in special buses thus improving circulation. Congratulations to the Government and will be charged if this be more a political news and not real news.