Residents of Tamale battle with animals to access drinking water.

Lack of portable drinking water has hit four communities in the Tamale Metropolis in the Northern Region which has, evoked residents to battle with animals for water from a dam at Kukuko.

The communities include Kukuo, Tuutingli, Koblimahigu, and Jakarayili are sustained by the Kukuo dam constructed decades ago to ease their water challenge which has now become milky and fast drying up.

The communities has a total population of over 7,000 have been suffering with the water situation for the past decades, compelling residents to resort to unwholesome water for domestic purposes.

It caused some residents to trek for about 3 kilometers to access the untreated milky water.

The dam is the only source of water for residents and animals in the area, which made the animals defecate and urinate in it whenever they came to drink water in the dam, exposing the residents to waterborne diseases.

During the visit of the Daily Graphic to the dam witnessed that the water were milky and do not feat for purpose, making it very difficult for treatment before use.

Some students, women, and children were inside the dam fetching water standing at their knee level as they does not demarcate any portion specifically to fetch water.

Speaking to some of the residents, they lamented over the situation, stating that the water is unhealthy for domestic purposes.

A resident, Adam Nimatu said that the economic activities in the area have reduced drastically and compelled residents to low income which has affected the residents in taking care of their basic needs.

She added that apart from these, “when we need clean water we have to buy a yellow gallon for GH¢3 per gallon which is drilling us economically.”

Another resident, Sulemana Amishaw explained that their taps do not flow, “if the water company opened the taps in this area it would not last up to two days within some few hours they lock it again without telling us the reason.”

She noted that the distance involved in the access to water in the community is not supporting them to work on their household choices, according to her residents became tired after fetching water from the dam.

They appealed to the government, the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly, and individuals to come to their aid to end the water crises.

Source: Abukari Alhassan Baba