BOANIM ACUTE WATER SHORTAGE

The people of Boanim in the Ashanti region have been hit by an acute water shortage. They have therefore resorted to any available source of water whatever the cost, for survival and other uses. 

A visit by Ashanti Today to the town revealed that a faulty electricity transformer connected to a small town water system is the cause of the problem. It was gathered during the visit that the World Bank constructed this Small Town Water System under its Water and Sanitation intervention about 15 years ago. 

The water system has its intake from a stream at the feet of the hill and pumped through electricity powered system to the township for easy accessibility to the townsfolk. 

But for about five months now, the pipes in the town have gone dry, compelling the inhabitants especially the women and children to travel long distances to search for water for drinking and domestic purposes, relying on any available means of transportation such as taxi cabs and tricycles popularly called ‘Aboboyaa’.

 Two residents, 63 year old Madam Afua Asantewaa and Madam Ama Moah, said they have to spend about 30 Ghana Cedis before getting water aside from the difficulties they go through. 'We sometimes have to stay by the roadside till 4 pm for a vehicle to cart our water home', Madam Mmoa lamented.

The Kontihene of Boanim, Nana Amofah Anokye said the problem with the electricity transformer had been relayed to the Ministry of Energy through the Mampong District and Ashanti Regional offices of the ECG for solution but yet to receive any positive response. 

The Sekyere South District Chief Executive, Madam Catherina Rocklin in a telephone interview, that the Assembly has taken steps including following up on petitions to the Energy Ministry to give the faulty transformer a priority attention. 

In another development, the chiefs and people of Boanim are appealing to the Police Administration to post police personnel to operationalize the Police Station built by the residents for that purpose. 

The structure used to be offices for the Town Council but converted into facilities for Police Station in 2013 to deal with the myriad of security challenges the people are experiencing. 

The structure has almost every facility required to make a Police Station function effectively. However, the Agona District Police say the only setback in activating the Station is the presence of the Community Water and Sanitation offices within the premises. If this problem is addressed, Police personnel would be posted to man it.