Tamale water crisis forces students out of school

The majority of students in the Tamale Metropolitan Area have been kept out of the classrooms due to the severe water crisis.

Female students are most affected, as they are compelled to wander during school hours in search of inaccessible water. Some teachers have also surrendered to the situation, negatively impacting teaching and learning.

The water crisis is dire to the extent that people have resorted to using sachet water for cooking and bathing, compounding their financial constraints.

Dams and boreholes, the major water sources for people living on the outskirts of Tamale Township, are drying up. Water scarcity is affecting local commerce, as chop bar operators and porridge (Koko) sellers, among others, have been affected.

Ramadan

During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims use more water for extensive cooking, drinking, ablution, and other domestic purposes. Water is essential for normal human body function, so sufficient amounts are needed during this blessed month.

GWCL insensitivity?

In view of the water crisis, the Ghana Water Company (GWCL) has been billing people for non-supplied water for several months, creating confusion between officers reading water meters and some landlords in the Tamale Metropolis.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Water Company Managing Director, Dr Clifford Braimah, has hinted at plans to drill more boreholes in the Tamale Metropolis as a stopgap measure.

Aggrieved residents of the affected communities have served notice of embarking on continuous demonstrations over the prolonged situation.

On February 13, 2024, the members of Parliament for Tamale South, Tamale Central, and Tamale North constituencies bemoaned the Tamale water crisis and called for the government’s rapid action.

Hon. Haruna Iddrisu for Tamale South, Hon. Murtala Mohammed, Tamale Central, and Hon. Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyini raised the alarm on the floor of the House of Parliament and implored duty bearers to fix the recurrent problem.