Touton Commission Mechanized Borehole at Kwopretey Community

Kwaopretey is a community located south of Betoda and Kasapin and shares boundary with Onwe and Boakyekrom in the Asunafo North Municipality.

The history of the community emphasizes the disadvantage of the community when it comes to accessing potable water. Before the year 2002 the community main source of water was from a stream, which is often polluted and dries up during the dry season. The seasonal dynamics was not only denying the community access to water, but they were often exposed to physical danger walking through the bush to access water especially during late hours of the day.

Early 2000 the community had access to a well which after sometime proved unsustainability. In the year 2002, through the efforts of the Assembly Member and the municipal Assembly, a borehole was constructed for the first time at the community. Though serving a long desired need, it also had it down sides as women and children often crowd at the borehole at the early hours of the day to fetch water. Sometimes the women spend 45minutes waiting for their turn to access water from the borehole. School children are often late or miss school when they meet long queues at the borehole.

According to the Chief of Kwaopretey, Nana Kwesi Abraham Kwaopretey I, the community lost hope in resolving the water challenges. Fortunately this year (2020) when Touton visited the community to purchase cocoa, they found interest in resolving the water challenge. Before Touton intervention, all external stakeholders enquiries about the community needs often end up without any positive result. As the chief recounts, during Touton needs assessment, it did not take long for the mechanized borehole to be constructed for the community. Currently, the mechanized borehole, fully funded and constructed by Touton is serving the Kwaopretey community with about 1325 inhabitants.

The Commission of the Mechanized borehole was done on Friday, 28^th August 2020. Participating stakeholders in the commission included Nana Kwesi Abraham Kwaopretey I, Mrs Hilda Dapaah-Arthur (Community Development Manager, Touton), Mr John Akati (Operations Manager Touton/ELIHO), Mr Anthony Adjei (Brong Ahafo Regional Manager, Touton/ELIHO), Honorable Yaw Osei-Boahen (Municipal Chief Executive, Asunafo North Municipal Assembly), Honorable Jones Afriyie-Anto (Presiding Member, Asunafo North Municipal Assembly), Mr. John Gyamah Djabetey (Heads of Works, Asunafo North Municipal Assembly).

Through the Chief and his elders’ leadership and dialogue with the community, they reached a consensus for all households to contribute GHS 3.00 a month as a levy towards maintenance, payments of bills and repair works on the mechanized borehole.