Senya Beraku faces water shortage

Page 47
Date: March 3, 2008


COMMERCIAL and educational activities are grinding to a halt in the Central Regional town of Senya Bereku following an acute water shortage that has hit the area.
The situation has affected health services and resulted in empty classrooms among other things.
Scores of students, teachers and other residents spend hours walking long distances in search of water for household chores.
According to a resident, Mr Anthony Apraku, the situation, which had persisted for about two years now, had reached its zenith, thereby crippling economic and educational activities.
“A bucket of water is sold for 25 Gp. Even with the 25 Gp, it is very difficult getting water to buy,” he said, adding that “the government would have to come to our aid now before something else happens”.
A pensioner, Mr Jasper Bonney, said only those who had tanks or reservoirs bought water from operators of water tankers, adding that for the majority of those who did not have such facilities, they had to search for water every day.
A student of the Senya Senior High School, Emmanuel Kwesi, said he went to school late as a result of the fruitless search for water.
“The situation is terrible and something would have to be done now. We need water urgently to survive,” he said.
The Chairman of the Senya Urban Council, Mr Kwame Onasis Anderson, told the Daily Graphic that the council had made efforts to get water.
“I have just queued for four hours to buy a bucket of water for 25 Gp,” he lamented, and said “master we are suffering in this town”.
He said although the Member Parliament for the area, Mr Oppey Abbey, had raised the water issue on the floor of the House, nothing had been done.
As a temporary measure, he said, water could be distributed at cheaper rates through tankers, since most people in the town could not afford to the 25 Gp for a bucket of water.
Mr Anderson said some teachers and nurses had threatened to request for a transfer if the council did not expedite action about the issue.