Mr. Lawrence Nuku
Words alone cannot tell this whole sad story. As we consciously toured a small section of the Adaklu village in the Volta region for the first time, I realized how difficult life is for these people without clean potable water.
Arriving at the village, it was very obvious that the people had a major water problem. Women, men, boys, girls, and little children, the majority in school uniform walked to and from their only water source.
Balanced on their heads were very large water tubs, big buckets, with a jerrycan or two, and anything that could hold water in hand. Some women had babies tied on their backs as they went about what seemed to be a painfully normal daily routine. Some young men were fortunate to have jerrycans bungee corded on their bicycle carriages. Two older men had as many containers as their motorcycles could carry.
Safety was my initial concern, as some of these huge water tubs balanced on the heads of these women could easily weigh 70 to 80 pounds when filled with water. Only heaven knows the stories of the bikers hauling water at faster speeds. I wondered about the clinical statistics of their health issues regarding their necks and backs. Surprisingly, every one of these people had a smile on their face and greeted us lovingly as we trekked for three and a quarter miles past them towards the water source.
Upon our arrival, the devastation was worse than I initially guessed. I was very distraught when I noticed the kind of water the people found so appealing out of necessity. As I exclaimed beneath my breath, I thought to myself, I would never give this water to my pets to drink. It was in my opinion, certainly not fit for quenching the thirst of any living thing except for plants, catfish, mosquitoes, and perhaps frogs. Certainly, a seasonal river runs by the village, but it becomes deplorable during the dry season.
This river, Tordzie, is the only source of water that services the entire village of about 7,000 inhabitants including the clinic that also serves as the only maternity ward for these people. The only secondary school in the village, as well as individual households are also heavily reliant on these almost dried up puddles.
At the clinic, the sight of their filthy unfiltered water being used for delivering babies broke my heart. How could a new born be welcomed to a world of such impoverished society and more so deprived of the quintessence of basic life? I fervently choked back my tears because I did not want these wonderful nurses to be infected with my sadness for what I was seeing. I knew very well that there was no way I would wash my own hands with the very water they so much cherish. One can only pray for rain.
Indeed, who could have put all these in words? The painful and hard to believe part is that, this village is only about 30 minutes drive from Ho, the capital town of the Volta Region, where people are living in luxury and some even in opulence. Water flows 24/7, and some even water their lawns! What a world we have???????
This water situation did not happen overnight. It has been there all these decades, before and after our nation’s independence. Government after government comes to pass without doing anything to help their own people. From this region, a minister of state was appointed to head the ministry of roads and highways. With his position and authority, he fell short of common sense in matters of absolute urgency.
For water supply from the largest artificial lake in the world, Lake Volta to Ho, the regional capital, it took the former colonial masters of the region, German government to grant a specific loan in the 1980′s. This loan almost slipped through the cracks in favor of other less important projects as many others do. Thanks to the vigilance of some citizens of Ho Dome, who appealed to the then ruler, J. J. Rawlings, the town now enjoys the basic right to have clean water.
It has become too difficult for my family and me to stand by and watch quietly as humanity suffers so needlessly. So, for my part and as a small solar business owner in Ghana, Powerland, my family and I will join Adaklu Water Project. In our capacity, we will provide some financial assistance as well as some necessary solar equipment to help build a sustainable well-water pump, which shall be stationed on the premises of the Adaklu Clinic.
I invite any reader of this humbling reality to join this project for a worthy cause.
Lawrence Nuku
I wish to request for the following infrastructure for the school in order to meet the demands of Adaklu Senior High School:
Adaklu Senior High School was established in 1984 and became Government approved in 1991. The current population stands at 529 students. The school is one of the very deprived schools in the community and the only Government Assisted Senior High in the Adaklu traditional Area which comprises about 50 towns and villages.Growth has however eluded this old institution because the school cannot boast of massive infrastructure that can be found in most schools.
The school has suffered grossly from in infrastructural development until three (3) years ago when 3 get fund projects have been started by the Ghana Government. These projects have been outlined in the school digest for your study please. Until September 2012 the school was fully a day school and the request for the Boarding system was due to the following reasons:
This situation for quite a long time has resulted in poor enrollment.
All the above factors have led to poor academic performance which is a worry not only to the schools’ administrators but also, to the Board, Parents and the entire ADAKLU Community at large.
The major problem facing the running of the Boarding system is availability of water and facilities like beds for use in the dormitories.
Student travel one and half kilometers to fetch water from the stream which even dries up frequently during the year.
Our woes were further deepened when visibility studies undertaken by water experts could not yield any fruitful result.
In an attempt to get drinking water for the students, we have to fall on the Regional and sewage corporations for water tankers which cost the school a lot and this makes the running of the school very difficult.
In order to address the following challenges enumerated above the management in collaboration with the Board of Governors is pleading that the school be assisted to lift up its status.
G.K. ADZIMAH
HEADMASTER
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