Assembly Member commissions 20th borehole at Gariyouga community
The Assembly Member for the Tanga Electoral Area in the Bawku West District of the Upper East Region, Hon. Ben Avokba Agolisi, has commissioned his 20th borehole to provide clean drinking water for residents of Gariyouga, a suburb of Soogo.
The borehole was officially handed over to the community on June 3, 2026. Between 2024 and 2026, Hon. Agolisi has provided 20 boreholes, including some mechanised systems, to communities across the district.
Addressing residents during the commissioning ceremony, Hon. Agolisi said his commitment to supporting communities without access to safe drinking water was driven by a sense of responsibility to give back to society.
"My support is not because I have more, but because God has blessed me a little, and I must give back to society. It is better to share what you have with your neighbor than to keep it while your neighbor suffers," he said.
He disclosed that beyond providing water facilities, he has reroofed more than 50 houses damaged by the windstorm that struck parts of the district on May 13, 2026, and continues to support other affected families.
Hon. Agolisi appealed to philanthropists and individuals with the means to assist their communities by investing in projects that improve the lives of residents.
Residents of Gariyouga expressed gratitude for the intervention, describing it as a solution to a decades-long water crisis.
One resident, Edward Agona, said the community had struggled with access to potable water since 1992.
"This water challenge started in 1992. No government had helped us until Hon. Ben Avokba Agolisi drilled this borehole. Our women will no longer walk long distances in search of water, which delayed domestic work and school preparation," he said.
Another resident, Mba Diana, recounted the hardship residents endured before the borehole was constructed.
"Water was a big problem for us women. We were drinking from the same river with animals, reptiles, and waste like diapers. Even dead animals were thrown into it. Today, we are grateful to the donor," she said.