The drowning of two students of Ada Senior High School in the Volta River has been linked to water shortage in the area. Reports reaching Joy News indicate that these students went to the riverside to have a quick bath and wash their uniforms because taps had run dry.
According to the Assembly Member of the area, Moses Wusah, the taps had not been running for some time now, compelling students and the school to resort to the river. Speaking on Newsnight on Joy FM, he said “It is linked to the shortage of water in the school and the district at large. Because Ada has been with no water for close to one week now, without a drop from the tap, and even the river water is not good because of the Akosombo Dam spillage.”
He explained that despite the dangers of fetching water at the riverside, the school authority is forced to organise the students to fetch water at the riverside for their needs. The Assembly member stressed that although he had organised a few young men to supply water to the school, the school’s population was too large adding that as at 6:10 pm, most of the students had still not taken their bath and kitchen staff equally struggled to get water to prepare meals.
Meanwhile, he said his outfit intends to write letters to solicit funds so they could get pumps directly into the river to get water into the school.
Giving clarity on the issue, the Communications Director of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), Stanley Martey said the company had to shut down the treatment plant in Ada because Akosombo spillage had contaminated water bodies making it difficult for the company to find the right chemicals to treat the water to meet drinking water standards.
However, he assured that the GWCL was working round the clock to treat water to make it safe for drinking.
By: Connielove Mawutornyo Dzodzegbe
