Five schools closed down

All the five basic schools at Sibi in the Nkwanta District of the Volta Region have been closed down due to an acute water shortage in the town.

The affected schools are the Local Authority Primary and Junior Secondary schools, the Evangelical Presbyterian Primary School, a kindergarten, the Roman Catholic Primary and the Central Primary schools.

The chief of the town, Nana Akyere Managya ll, who disclosed this in an interview, said all the teachers have deserted their stations for fear of contracting the guinea worm disease as a result of lack of potable water. According to him, all available water supply systems have broken down, while dams built as far back as 1972 have completely dried up.

He expressed concern about the plight of the school children, adding that the problem has seriously hampered their studies.

According to him, the precarious water situation has compelled residents to share the same water sources with animals.

He, therefore, appealed to the government to come to their aid in order to prevent the outbreak of water-borne diseases which may eventually cripple economic activities in the area.

The Nkwanta District Chief Executive, Mr Samuel Blagogee, who confirmed the plight of the people of Sibi, disclosed that urgent steps are being taken to address the water problem.