The Water Resources Commission (WRC) under the auspices of the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing at the weekend, organised a health walk and medical screening to mark
World Water Day.
The programme was on the theme: “Water for cities: Responding to Urban Challenge.”
Mrs Adwoa Munkua Dako, Public Relations Officer of WRC, said 22 March is observed annually as a World Water Day.
About 87 percent of the world's population - 5.9 billion people - has access to clean and safe drinking-water resources, she said.
However, she explained, almost one billion people lack safe water and three billion lack sanitation facilities.
Mrs Dako said World Water Day was set aside to raise awareness on Water Cleanliness and Water Conservation, a problem which kills almost
4500 children everyday.
A public forum to highlight these issues, at the Prempeh Assembly Hall, Kumasi, would climax the celebration, on Tuesday, March 22.
Water, Mrs Dako said, is an essential element for all dimensions of life. However, over the past few decades, the demand for water has
increased in many places with availability falling into crisis levels.
Mrs Dako said more than 80 countries, with 40 percent of the world’s population, are already facing water shortages, while by the year 2020 the world’s population would be doubled.
She said the quality of water in rivers and underground has deteriorated due to pollution by waste and contaminants from cities, industries and agriculture.
Mrs Dako said the continuous contamination, depletion and unequal distribution of water has worsened the existing poverty levels and
were harming people’s chances to lead healthy lives.
She said this was the result of the outbreak of cholera in the country in recent times and urged all to observe proper hygiene practices and to take good care of the water bodies for our healthy life since a nation that has healthy people is a rich one.
Mr Stanley Martey, Communications Manager of Aqua Vitens Rand Limited, said the theme was important and his outfit was responding to
the challenges of the Urban Sector water needs.
He said the urban sector was faced with problems and they were working assiduously with stakeholders in the water industry to rectify
them.
Mr Martey said the company’s mission was to make sure Ghanaians get safe water, noting they had been able to cover 77 per cent of the
nation.
He said the company was hopeful that it would exceed the Millennium Development Goal’s target of 85 percent coverage by 2015.