ACCRA, June 30 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank (WB) has approved an International Development Association (IDA) credit facility of 85.7 million U.S. dollars to improve education, water and sanitation in Ghana, said a statement issued from the country office of the WB here late Thursday.
It said the credit facility would be disbursed to support the Secondary Education Improvement Project (SEIP) and the Sustainable Rural Water and Sanitation Project (SRWSP).
An additional funding of 40 million dollars will also be disbursed to the SEIP to support low-performing schools in the targeted 100 SEIP districts.
World Bank Country Director for Ghana Henry Kerali said: "The proposed additional financing under the SEIP would provide support toward the achievement of better learning outcomes to over 100 additional schools, nearly doubling the number of schools targeted under the SEIP, while continuing to support activities to increase enrollment in undersubscribed schools."
The Sustainable Rural Water and Sanitation Project, on the other hand, received additional financing of 45.7 million USD to facilitate the construction of additional 20,000 household toilets to the current 22,000 and assist additional 490 communities to be open defecation-free.
The project will also finance water supply systems that could not be completed from the original SRWSP. These areas include the Northern Region (Province), the fluoride and the high salinity affected areas where access to both adequate water supply and sanitation fall far below the national average.
"The beneficiary regions under the SRWSP have high rates of poverty and the completion of the project will reduce the outbreak of diseases such as cholera and diarrhea as well as communicable diseases, leading to improvements in child health."
"Improved water and sanitation services are also an integral part of the World Bank's twin goals of ending extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity," said Wambui Gichuri, World Bank Water Practice Manager for Africa.
The World Bank's IDA established in 1960, helps the world's poorest countries by providing grants and low to zero-interest loans for projects and programs that boost economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve poor people's lives.
IDA is one of the largest sources of assistance for the world's 77 poorest countries, 39 of which are in Africa, bringing positive change to the 1.3 billion people.
Since 1960, IDA has supported development work in 112 countries. Annual commitments have averaged about $19 billion over the last three years, with about 50 percent going to Africa. Enditem
