Residents of Aketebuor in the Upper Manya Krobo district of the Eastern Region, who hitherto had difficulties with water can now heave a sigh of relief following the provision of potable drinking water to the area.
The water project funded by some illustrious citizens of Krobo will help curb situations where residents especially, students walk long distances to fetch polluted water for domestic use and for other purposes including farming.
Aketebour is a village about 30 Km from the regional capital, Koforidua.
Residents, there are predominantly peasant farmers.
The road leading to the community is dusty and bumpy. Vehicles plying that route easily get stuck in the mud whenever it rains.
This is just one of the many problems the community is bedevilled with.
Water is one of the major challenges affecting the livelihoods of the people.
Besides commuting long distances to get a bucket of running water, residents say they suffer some health complications.
Nana Gyeabuor, an opinion leader in the community tells me the situation is affecting the performance of school children.
"We are really suffering especially the women and children because they have to walk long distances to fetch a stream before they can go to school and farm. When we drink the water we get diarrhoea and we urinate blood sometimes. It is the community nurse who has been helping us with treatment so we need help". He stated.
The plight of residents has seen some level of improvement following the provision of a borehole by Kloma Hengme Association.
The association is made up of Krobo citizens who have come together to willingly support communities in Krobo who are in dire need of social amenities.
Isaac Tamatey, president of the group said they can me together to assist areas in need of social amenities and to better the lot of rural folks.
"We support our brothers and sisters who are need so that they can get some relief from their plight. What we do as an association is to levy members, put them together and go to support our people ". He explained.
The provision of the borehole water may not bring an end to the water scarcity situation in the relatively populated community.
Upper Manya Krobo District Chief Executive, Felix Nartey Odjao who commissioned the project said government knows the challenge of the community and will soon come to their aid.
He assured residents of Upper Manya Krobo to fix broken down water systems to improve water situation.