In a dire situation plaguing the Fuo community in the Tamale North Constituency of the Northern Region, the primary dam that supplies water has completely dried up, leaving thousands of households and residents without access to clean water.
For several months now, taps in the area have been shut off, intensifying the annual water shortage issue that the community faces. In a recent visit by RepublicOnline, it was observed that desperate measures have been taken by women, including pregnant women, who are forced to dig holes within the dried-up dam’s enclave to secure water.
These women endure the scorching sun, narrating that this desperate practice during the dry season is not a novelty, as their pleas for help have gone unanswered in the past. Despite being a periurban community, the recurring water scarcity has escalated, affecting not only domestic activities but also small trade businesses, as women redirect their time and effort in search of water.
Madam Adizah, a seven-month pregnant mother, expressed her distress over the situation, highlighting the health implications and the disruption of their daily lives. She pleaded with the government and NGOs to intervene by providing the community with safe drinking water.
“We need taps and merchandized boreholes in this community. We drink this water with animals, and there is a lot of dirt in it, which is a threat to our health. I am a businesswoman, but I had to put that aside to search for water, which has become my daily routine so that my kids can bathe and go to school,” Adizah lamented.
Another resident, Alhassan Fuseina, emphasized the dire difficulties they face, competing with animals for the little water left in the dried-up dam. She highlighted the unsanitary conditions, expressing the community’s desperation to secure clean water for their families.
Madam Fuseina revealed many residents resort to purchasing water from tricycle operators at significant costs, further exacerbating their financial burdens.
As the water crisis deepens in Fuo, the community issues a heartfelt appeal for immediate assistance from the government and non-governmental organizations to provide sustainable solutions and alleviate the suffering of its residents, especially women.
Source: Simon Unyan Northern Region