Cape Coast North MP repairs 6 faulty boreholes

The provision and management of water resources in Ghana have been the sole responsibility of the Government of Ghana.

This responsibility has been very difficult for government to be able to meet up the growing demands of water by the ever-growing population in Ghana.

Non-Governmental Organizations as well as some corporate bodies have contributed to making portable water available to some inhabitants across the country as part of their corporate social responsibility initiatives.

In 2014, it is reported that Ghana recorded renewable freshwater resources per capita at 1131.

Basically due to growing populations and our constant exploitation of the precious water resource available to meet our fundamental needs have engendered and corrupted the potential use of freshwater resources.

The quality of groundwater and surface water resources keeps worsening mainly due to soaring levels of pollution from waste, pesticides used in agriculture, chemicals from mining “galamsey” (illegal mining), leachate from chemical fertilisers, and use of chemicals in fishing coupled with rapid population growth have entirely left Ghana’s water resources unmanageable (Yeleliere, Cobbina, Duwiejuah, 2018).

As a result of the above, governments over the years have heavily invested in different kinds of water resources including boreholes, community water systems etc in order to provide clean, potable water to Ghanaians.

Due to the inadequate provision of water resources across the length and breadth of the country, there is pressure on the limited water sources provided. As a result, some of the boreholes already provided have been malfunctioning for some time and needs urgent repair works.

It is against this background, that the Member of Parliament for Cape Coast North Constituency, Dr. Kwamena Minta Nyarku has started a project dubbed "Ensuring Availability and Sustainable Management of Water and Sanitation for All".

Under this project, four communities within his constituency have had their boreholes repaired and restored to functionality.

The beneficiary communities and the number of boreholes repaired are Akaikrom-1, Mempeasem-2, Efutu Kokwado-2 and Ansapatu-1. In all six boreholes have been repaired within the Cape Coast North Constituency.

The Cape Coast North MP underscored the fact that "Water is an indispensable resource and the unavailability of such a resource to some of my constituents is a headache for me. These repair works have been undertaken with my own resources since the MP share of the Common Fund is not yet in".

The MP reiterated tAT he knows it is the central government's responsibility to provide potable water to all but the little effort from him will help sustain his constituents while they wait for government's major intervention in solving water problems in his constituency.

He added that the culture of maintenance is a problem and hopes the beneficiary communities would take very good care of the boreholes in order to ensure the supply of quality water at all times.

He further hinted that plans are underway to ensure that some communities within his constituency benefit from mechanized solar-powered boreholes.