Six communities in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region are to be provided with potable water systems beginning from next week. The beneficiary communities include Gurigo, Amanga, Nayorogor, Kudorigor, Gamburungo and one other community.
This follows after the Bongo District Chief Executive [DCE], Mr. Peter Ayinbisa Ayamga and his team of technical staff took the contractor and a consultant round the beneficiary communities for introduction to opinion leaders and engagement with them. These introductory visits, the DCE explained were to create the needed atmosphere for the smooth take off the projects as well as allow for an explanation of the full components of the water systems to the communities.
A Representative of Aqualogical Consultancy, Mr. Prince Akonde who is to supervise the projects in all the six communities, revealed that water systems will each have a drilled borehole installed with solar power and an overhead water tank. He added that after meeting the communities, a team of geologists will visit each community and with the assistance of community members, do citing for the best water point to drill.
Mr. Akonde said after the drilling works, a water quality test will be undertaken and when it meets the standards, another team will then move in for the installation of the boreholes and fittings for the accompanying solar-pumps. He said usually, about to two to three water points would be cited and the one with a higher yield, settled on for the drilling.
Bongo DCE, Mr. Ayamga disclosed at the first point of call at Gurigo that, the award of the water systems was being funded by Government’s “One Million US Dollars Per Constituency Policy” under the auspices of the Ministry of Special Initiatives. He said upon completion, the solar-powered boreholes will each have two that will dispense water but in the future the communities may increase the number of taps.
He added that a management board will be instituted to watch over the water systems so as to prolong their life span through regular maintenance and servicing. Asked what informed the choice of communities selected, he answered that it was his plan to spread development equitably among all the communities and that, these were communities that were in most need of the type of water systems at the time.
According to the DCE, his office had requests for water systems from majority of the 38 electoral areas in the district but the Assembly was able to drill 10 boreholes so far in the year form its Common Fund. Some of these however got capped due to high fluoride deposits and that for instance, two were capped in the Amanga community while one was also capped in Goo but additional tests later on certified it for use. He said the Assembly constantly reaches out to NGOs and water research institutions for lasting solutions to the district’s fluorine –infested waters and that recently, “a professor from the Cape Coast University after hearing me on radio, offered to help while a Netherlands NGO also pledged its support to our efforts”.
Mr. Ayamga also hinted of Government’s plans to replace obsolete water treatment equipment at the Vea treatment plant to serve only Bongo while the Tono Dam would soon be fitted with treatment installations to supply water to Navrongo, Bolgatanga and its environs.
He also disclosed that 10 dug-outs had been earmarked for construction in the district under the “One Village, One Dam” policy and that it will be beneficial to animals and human beings alike as people often use water from these dams for construction, farming and other domestic purposes.
During the rounds, the Assembly man for the Gurigo Electoral Area Mr. Anafo Abowine Stephen thanked the Assembly for allocating one of the boreholes to his community stressing that it will drastically reduce the distance they used to travel to fetch water. He disclosed that the nearest of potable water to the community was about one kilometer far.
Meanwhile during the meeting with the Kudorogor Community, the DCE donated 10 bags of cement in aid of the construction of a pavilion for the chief. Having commended the Assembly for the borehole project, the chief also appealed to the DCE to help extend rural electrification to more communities in his traditional area.
Source: Peter Atogewe Wedam (ISD)