The Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) wants government to speed up the release of allocated funds for a more effective running of the agency. The Agency says persistent delays in the release of funds by the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department is stifling many projects intended to ease water supply to most deprived communities. Chief Executive of the CWSA, Clement Bugase tells Luv News the delays have placed severe constraints on the activities of the Agency. According to him, some regional offices find it extremely difficult to provide fuel for staff to visit districts and communities to monitor ongoing and completed projects. He says such constrains hinder the attainment of set targets in providing water facilities to deprived areas. Mr Bugase spoke to Luv News at the opening of the 2011 annual review of the Community Water and Sanitation Agency in Kumasi. The review is under the theme “Tracking Functionality of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) – A key to sustainable services”. Stakeholders from across the country are attending the review which will take stock of the achievements of the CWSA over the past year and to strategize on how to achieve its targets in the coming years. Mr. Clement Bugase urged the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission to speed up the correction of anomalies after the migration of staff onto the single spine salary structure. Outlining some achievement over the past years, he said a total of 1,318 boreholes were constructed as against a target of 1,198. Out of the figure, 716 were installed with pumps as against a target of 964. A total of 36 hand dug wells with pumps were completed as against a target of 42. The CWSA however exceeded its target of completing piped systems in five new communities by one last year. Additionally a total of 776 household ventilated improvement pit latrines were constructed out of a target of 1,450, whilst 372 educational institutions also had such latrines. Mr Bugase disclosed the national coverage for rural water now stands at 63.34%, this puts the nation on course to achieving the Millenium Development Goal Target of 76% by 2015. Delivering the Keynote Address, Deputy Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing, Reuben Nii Nortey Dua, said the provision of safe water is one of the key infrastructure development agenda for the government. According to him, Government is making efforts to drill 20,000 boreholes to increase access to safe water. He urged the Community Water and Sanitation Agency to focus on its core activities and make sure they achieve progress in spite of the challenges facing the general public sector.