Ask...and you shall receive

9/15/09
Monday we were "presented" to the Municipal Chief Executive (the equivalent of our County Executive) so that he knew we were in town and so that he could offer his "protection." In addition, we requested a letter from him enlisting support from the Ghana Water Company offices in Takoradi (Regional) and Accra (National). Afterward we met with representatives from the Takoradi Polytechnic Institute to formalize the plans for the students. They have a class of 60 second year students that are taking a water resources class that they would like to send to Axim to help with our field work. At first, they wanted to send all 60 students for the week. We "negotiated" to 15 students per day for four days. Afterward, they want us (or a portion thereof) to do a "lecture" to the remaining 1000 students in their engineering program. They are also very interested in meeting with the EWB-Ghana folks from Accra to possibly establish a Takoradi Chapter. The details of this are yet to be finalized.... Meanwhile, other members of the team broke off and started their work on as-builting the existing treatment plant and determining the exact schematic of the full system, which is much more elaborate than originally thought.

Today we met with the manager of the regional office for the Ghana Water Company. With the letter from the MCE in hand, he has offered his support for existing maps, survey information, expansion plans, and water quality testing needed for our analysis. We are hopeful that we will retrieve this information before we leave Axim. It was also our first day with the students. More on that in a later post. In addition, we have set the date for our Town Hall meeting on water and sanitation for next Tuesday. Tuesday is the day the fishermen are off work, so we are hopeful the meeting will be well attended. Depending on the level of follow up needed after the meeting, we may extend our stay in Axim by one day (shortening our return stay in Accra).

Three members of our team have been suffering with stomach ailments, and we have been shifting plans as necessary, and enlisting our partners here for follow up work as needed after we depart.