There is a looming danger of an outbreak of cholera and water-borne diseases as residents of Dawa Trim Djamam continue to drink from a polluted stream.
Dawa Trim Djamam, a farming community near Asesewa in the Upper Manya Krobo District of the Eastern Region, has a population of about 500, mostly farmers.
What is more disturbing and worrying is that pupils of the local Presbyterian School also rely on the polluted water of the stream.
As a result, most of the dwellers, particularly the schoolchildren report to the community’s Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compound with infections from water-borne diseases.
Runny stomach
In view of that, the schoolchildren do not regularly attend classes while the adults also do not go to their farms regularly because of runny stomach and other sicknesses.
When the Daily Graphic visited the community last Tuesday, a teacher of the school, Patrick Narh, who was worried about the situation said most of the children had runny stomach and water-borne diseases because they drank from the polluted water both at home and in school.
Waterborne diseases
“Because they drink the polluted water, they get infected with water-borne diseases and at times runny stomach so they absent themselves from school for a number of days and that has been adversely affecting their studies.
“We cannot prevent the children from drinking the polluted water because it is the only source of drinking water for the school and the entire community”, Mr Narh stated.
Polluted water
Joseph Narh, the Caretaker Dadematse (Deputy Chief Farmer), pointed out that it was unfortunate that the people in the community should be depending on the polluted water and was hopeful that the district assembly would take up the matter and provide them with good and safe drinking water.
Mr Narh, who is also a resident in the community, was not too happy about recent developments regarding the water situation in the area and appealed to the authorities concerned, especially the government and the Upper Manya Krobo District Assembly, to help address the water problem in the community.
Trek long distances
He said accessing potable water was a major source of worry to the inhabitants of Dawa Trim Djamam and its environs and as such, women and children, on a daily basis were compelled to trek long distances in search of clean water.
Mr Narh appealed to philanthropic organisations as well as benevolent individuals to provide the community with a mechanised water system.
The dadematse pointed out that it was the responsibility of the government through the district assembly to provide safe drinking water to the deprived residents living in rural communities.
No mechanised water system
The assemblyman for Dawa Trim/ Adansu Electoral Area, Daniel Tetteh Angmor, said it was so sad that a farming community such as Dawa Trim Djamam did not have any mechanised water system or boreholes.
He indicated that a non-governmental organisation (NGO), PH8 Foundation, visited the community some years ago and decided to construct a borehole for the community but that failed due to lack of water.
When contacted, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area, Joe Sam, said the government was committed to providing potable water to communities in the district and Dawa Trim Djamam was not an exception.
Responsibility
According to him, potable water was needed by the people in the communities within the district as such government would not shirk its responsibility to address water problems in such areas.
Mr Sam appealed to the inhabitants to exercise patience as the assembly would do everything possible to find a lasting solution to the water problem in the area since potable water was a necessity.
Source:theghanareport.com