Coronavirus: Traders at Frankadua market demand construction of borehole

Traders at the Frankadua market in the Asuogyaman District of the Eastern Region are fuming over delay in the construction of a proposed borehole facility for the market as part of efforts to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

The livid market men and women who spoke in an interview with GhanaWeb could not come to terms with the delay in executing the project especially in the face of the dreaded disease.

This portal gathered that disagreements between the Asuogyaman District Assembly and the Assemblyman for the area on the type of borehole to drill has resulted in the stand-off.

While the Assembly is bent on sinking a manual borehole for the market, the Assemblyman prefers a mechanized borehole.

Speaking to GhanaWeb, Jumbo Fuseini, a trader at the market could not fathom why market men and women should face water challenges in the face of the pandemic.

He wondered why the borehole project has stalled despite the allocation of funds to the Assembly.

He said, “We are facing serious water challenges here during this pandemic because we have nowhere to wash our hands during our trading activities, we can’t do anything and we realized they decided to put up a borehole for us.

“Unfortunately, we are not seeing any progress especially when we’re being told there is a second wave so we beg the government to help us. Government has provided the money so why is the DCE delaying with the project? Please, come and construct a mechanized borehole for us.”

Another trader at the market, Victoria Dzakpasu shared similar views. According to her, there is nothing to show for a borehole despite the assurances of a project.

“The Assemblyman told us that they were putting up a borehole over here but as at now, we aren’t seeing anything we can use to wash our hands. We have several problems here regarding the virus but there is no facility we can rely on to wash our hands. We are therefore begging the government to come complete the borehole for us,” she said.

For Lois Addo, the provision of a pipe-borne water instead of a borehole, she believes can better serve the handwashing purpose.

“The pipe [borehole] you promised to construct at the Frankadua market to fight the COVID-19 pandemic but we don’t want a borehole, we need pipe-borne water to properly wash our hands so we can get rid of the virus.”

Assemblyman for Morgadzi Electoral Area, Amenorhu Bright when contacted by GhanaWeb blamed the stalled project on disagreements between himself and the Asuogyaman District Assembly on the nature of borehole to be put up.

While he insisted on a mechanized borehole, the Assembly on the other hand is maintaining its position on building a manual borehole.

The Assemblyman argued that while the manual facility enables one to start the water and wash their hands on their own without assistance, the manual doesn’t offer this privilege as the user would require another person to pump the water while they wash their hands.

“The Assembly gave us a borehole, actually Nana Akufo’s government gave us a borehole, all the markets in Asuogyaman and this is one. We were told it’s a Ghc45000 project. The problem is, we need a mechanized borehole and now that they’re telling us they’ll give us manual so we’re asking them whether the district is ready to give us personnel to be pumping the water for us because the title of the project is ‘wash your hands under running water.’ One cannot be pumping and at the same time washing their hands under the pipe so we need mechanized borehole, not manual.”

Amenorhu Bright in demanding the mechanized borehole, questioned the Ghc45,000 allocated for the project and described the amount as outrageous, arguing that the said amount “can even do twice of this project.”

“The money is already given to them so I see no reason why this project will be lying down as I speak to you,” he said.

He noted that though the Assembly following a meeting held in January 2021 between himself, the District Chief Executive (DCE) and the District Coordinating Director promised to construct the borehole, nothing has since been done.

He agreed with the position of the traders that the absence of the facility was affecting efforts to fight the COVID-19, adding that they’ll continue to push the Assembly to construct the borehole for them.

Meanwhile, the DCE, Samuel Kwame Agyekum when contacted by GhanaWeb, declined to speak on record but explained that the issue had been amicably resolved and works on the borehole facility would “start soon.”

He however did not give any further details.