Announcement of Ghana to Benefit from IDA Credit for Water Supply on April 4, 1983

_;NorldBank 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, 0.C. 20433, U.S.A.• Teiephone: (202) 477-1234 IDA NEWS RELEASE NO. 83/59 Contact: Pam ~rennan April 4, 1983 ( 202) 477-32Y3 GHANA TO BENEFIT FROM IDA CREDIT FOR WATER SUPPLY Emergency repairs will be made on rapidly deteriorating water trans- mission pipelines in Ghana through a project using an SDR 11.8 million ($13 million) credit from the International Development Association (IDA). The concessionary lending affiliate of the World Bank will also provide technical assistance to strengthen the Ghana Water and Sewerage Corporation (GWSC), as well as urgently needed spare parts. Pipelines linking the Kpong Waterworks on the Volta River, the city of Terna, and the capital at Accra, are in danger of failure because of corrosion and lack of maintenance. The project will finance replacement of badly corroded pipe sections and cleaning and external recoating of damaged sections. Supplies and equipment urgently required to carry out repairs and maintenance of the Accra/Terna distribution network will be provided, including I installation and repair of public standpipes. The government's objective of strengthening the institutional capability of the Ghana Water and Sewerage Corporation will also be • supported. Consultants will undertake a Management Improvement PrograM of GWSC's operational and financial policies. To assist in the implementation of these recommendations, 30 work-years of consultant services will be provided to assist GWSC's 700 higher level staff. Preparation of final engineering design and contract documents for future investment in water supply and sanitation will also be undertaken by consultants. The Republic of Ghana will provide $9.4 million toward the costs. IDA has previously approved $13.9 million under two credits to Ghana for water supply and sewerage projects. The IDA credit is for 50 years, including 10 years of grace; it carries no interest but has a small service charge (0.5% on the undisbursed balances of the credit and 0.75% on the disbursed balances). NOTE: IDA credits are denom.inate<l in SDR.s (Special Drawing Rights), which are valued on the basis of a "basket'' of currencies. The U.S. dollar equivalent of the SDR amount of the IDA credit reflects the exchange • rates existing at the time of the negotiation of the credit •