Minister orders dam water of 2012 National Best Farmer tested
The Minister of Sanitation and Water Resource, Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah, has inspected two dams suspected to have illegally created with treated water on the farm of Reverend Lemuel Martey, 2012 National Best Farmer.
The Minister after the inspection at the farm located at Afienya- Mataheko Rice city in the Ningo-Prampram District, instructed engineers of the Ghana Water Company Limited to take samples and retest after which investigations and the needed actions would be taken.
She indicated that “we heard they had tapped GWCL treated water for the dams and therefore came to check, some samples had been taken for testing, if there is any criminality, the law will take its full course”.
She said it was a serious issue as according to her using treated water for a dam meant depriving a number of households of treated water.
Engineer Clifford Abdallah Briamah, Managing Director of GWCL, who together with other District Managers accompanied the Minister for the inspection, said previous test by his outfit on the smallest of the dams revealed that it contained chlorine treated water.
Engineer Briamah said “both reserviours are believed to be filled with treated water, the first test we did on the small dam showed traces of our water”
He added that samples would be taken to the Ghana Standard Authority and other independent agencies to also test for confirmation to ensure that the right investigations were done saying “this is not only about GWCL, but a national security issue as they are depriving huge numbers of people from getting the needed treated water”.
At the site, Mr Albert Nortey,elder brother of the 2012 National Best Farmer, who took the entourage round the farm, claimed the dams were created by their mother some 40 years ago adding that it contained rained water.
Mr Nortey said even though December was the last time rain water entered the dam, it was still full because it never dries up saying they have laid pipes and valves to direct all flood water in the farm to the two dams.
The dams, he indicated, were being used for fish farming and rearing of cattle saying most of the farm lands had been sold for residential purpose.
In another development, the GWCL had discovered a client at Gbetsiley in the Kpone-Katamanso Municipality who was engage in selling treated water to tankers even though he was using a domestic metre.
Engineer Briamah briefing the media on that said taps of that person had been disconnected pending investigation saying officers of the GWCL would comb the premises to see if they have bypassed the metre as the quantity of water they were consuming was not indicating a commercial nature.
Source: GNA