The Presbyterian Relief Service and Development (PRS&D), in collaboration with the Ghana Outlook, a UK-based Non-Governmental Organisation, has commissioned a mechanised borehole for the people of Awutu Brontrase in the Awutu Senya West District of the Central Region.
The GHS26,000.00 borehole will help solve the water supply challenges of the people of the town and the neighbouring communities especially school children.
A philanthropist, Ms Hilary Smith funded the project through Ghana Outlook while the PRS&D facilitated it.
Mr Williams Jesse Mensah, the Representative of Ghana Outlook, speaking at the commissioning, said the project was in response to a television documentary where three children had died in trying to fetch water from gullies and wells for their domestic needs in Awutu Bontrase.
He said it came to light in a fact-finding mission to the community that water was one of the essential commodities the community lacked.
“Children risks their lives daily to fetch water from stagnant water and have to break classes in search of water, a situation which has impacted negatively on their academic work."
He expressed gratitude that the project, which was treated as an emergency, compelled them to suspend all other projects, until it was completed within three weeks to provide total relief for the pupils.
Mr Mensah said Ghana Outlook was funding other projects including the building of schools, providing medical facilities and drilling of boreholes in communities across the country.
He indicated that “School children going beyond the school block in search of water is over, tanks in the school will always have water and academic performance will improve”.
He, therefore, urged the community to take care of the facility to prolong its lifespan.
Mr Emmanuel Nyarko Ankamah, the Coordinator for PRS&D, said they would be drilling additional borehole in the community to cater for the children’s needs after school.
He indicated that his organization is rendering selfless service to the less privileged in society and the marginalized communities for them to achieve their full potential and appealed to the chiefs and opinion leaders to as a matter of urgency cover all gullies, which pose risks to the children in the community.
He also called for community support towards the maintenance of the borehole.
The Reverend Daniel Edmund Kofi Asante, the Director for Development and Social Services of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), said the Church’s efforts in meeting the needs of deprived communities led to providing safe water to cater for the domestic needs of communities.
He said he was surprised to see the number of abandoned manholes which served us a source of drinking water for communities.
He said the PRS&D was keen on providing top class education, health and relief services to the people at all times.
He, therefore, commended Hilary Smith, the Ghana Outlook and PRS&D for the gesture, which would help to reduce the pains people went through in search of potable water.
The queen mother of the town, Naane Naakye, thanked the donors for the support and pledged their commitment to take good care of the facility.
Some of the school children expressed appreciation to the donors for the gesture, which they said would aid in their academic work.