Tamale Residents Go "Mad" Over Water Shortage

A seemingly unending water scarcity has hit the Northern Regional capital of  Tamale –and its environs, leading to stressful situations among many residents particular Muslims who are currently undergoing 30 days fasting. The Muslims who constitute a larger percentage of the population require water all the time to prepare certain special religious functions.

The situation which started some two weeks ago has taken a serious toll on residents of Jekarayili, Russia Bungalows, Kukuo, Ghanasco, Dabokpa, Vitting, Shillayili, Koblimahagu, SSNIT, Kalpohini, Changli and Dohanayili among others.

Some staff of Ghana Water Company limited are now taking advantage of the situation to sell water to most of the residents at exorbitant fees.  The water which is sold in water tankers is mainly drawn from the regional offices of the GWCL and also from one of their sub-stations popularly known as the water works.

At the moment, most parts of the metropolis are flooded with the yellow jelly cans also known as kufuor gallons especially at the various senior high schools.

Sources at the GWCL head office in Accra and Tamale told Savannahnews, that the water scarcity in most parts of the metropolis was as a result of a technical problem with one of the pumping machines at its head works at Dalun in the Kumbungu District.

A week ago frequent power outages in the central business district of the Tamale Metropolis angered an unknown group of youngsters to vandalise the offices of the Volta River Authority, generators of electricity to residents of the city.

Till now, no arrest has been made although the metropolitan security committee led by Abdul Hanan Gundadoo has placed a GH¢5,000.00 prize money on the heads of suspects or anyone behind the recent attacks at VRA. 

There are currently some passive impatience or anger being expressed by some affected residents who are allegedly threatening to storm the offices of the GWCL. The officers of the GWCL had not communicated or explained why shortage had emerged to the public until some customers of the company started making distress calls to the headquarters of the company.

At the time of filing this report, many businesses that depended on water were gradually grounding to a halt. Public servants, school children in basic and some senior high schools now spend more hours ‘hunting’ for water and go to school late.