Access To Clean Potable Water In Ghana

My name is Abdul Raafi Mohammed, I am a Host, Journalist, Writer, Blogger, Film Maker and Advocate of Water, sanitation hygiene and agriculture. For months I have been filming a documentary on Access To Clean Water In Ghana. The documentary was shoot partly in Tamale and Accra.

Access to clean water is a major problem facing many african countries, figures from the world health organisation states that 783 million people don't have access to clean water. my crew and I are in Accra, Accra the capital of Ghana. and we share with your their views on access to clean potable water. We began with Padmore Preparatory School, which is located in East Legon Mpehuasem. After exchanging greetings with the staff and Headmaster. We spoke about access to clean water, and the challenges the school and other schools face in accessing clean water. Mr Azia Albert, headmaster of Padmore Preparatory School told me, there is a little challenge in accessing clean water but theirs is quite better compared to other schools in other areas. He confirmed that during the dry season where taps don't usually flow, they buy water from Water Tankers, and during the rainy season they store water in their storage facilities.

Mr Albert also made some comparation between his time in primary school and now, he said, Now access to clean water is gaining grounds, that compared to their time they had to travel miles to get water. He called on NGOs and Government to find out schools in need of water and assist these schools in getting access to clean water. Research indicates that many girls compared to boys miss classes when in periods. Mostly in Africa girls do most of the house hold chores and that includes fetching water, girls travel miles and long distances to get water before going to school, which leads to lateness and less concentration in class. Eric is a graduate of A Junior High School in Accra, he is currently waiting for his Results, Eric is also a website designer.

Eric confirmed that his sister does most of the house hold chores which includes cleaning, washing, fetching water and cooking. Eric added that he goes to school early, his sister has to finish the house hold chores before going to school People who do not have access to clean water are exposed to water related diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea, guinea worm infection, lead poisoning and fever. According to the world health organisation 1.8 million people die every year from diarrhoea and cholera, 90% are children under five years old, mostly in developing countries. Dr Ayongo Annan, a specialist in family medicine at the korle bu poly clinic in Accra, shares her views with us. At the Korle bu poly clinic, Dr Ayongo Annan, a specialist in family medicine at the Korle bu Teaching hospital in Accra, confirmed that diarrhoea cases have been on their records often, cholera on the other hand she said comes as an outbreak yearly.

Dr Annan said the situation of access to clean water in Ghana has been better than before, she stressed much on sanitation and hygiene, which she said needs to be improved. She advised that washing hands with soap and water is the best, and personal hygiene is the key to good healthy life. The Government of Ghana has over the years made access to clean potable water a priority, Non governmental organisations have also worked within the government policies to help make access to clean potable water a reality. One of these Non governmental organisations is WaterAid Ghana, WaterAid Ghana for the past 30 years, since 1985, have worked to improve water, sanitation and hygiene delivery in Ghana. WaterAid Ghana has done a lot for the past 30 years, since 1985 to improve water, sanitation and hygiene delivery in Ghana. WaterAid Ghana has done direct water provision through Bole holes, pipe extension, and hand drive wells to a little over 1,100 people in some of districts in Ghana. The policy and partnership director of WaterAid Ghana spoke to us Mr Ibrahim Musah, Head of Policy and Partnership at WaterAid Ghana. He said " Water challenges in Ghana are in various forms including inequality in access by rural communities, poor and marginalised communities. Urban areas and small towns don't have access to potable water".

Mr Ibrahim Musah continued; In Gusheigu district, Tamale district, Wa East, Afram, Akuapim North etc. people still live without potable water, which is not good enough. Some other challenges in access to potable water is, pollution of water bodies. Some unpatriotic people in our communities still pollute their water bodies, people involved in mining also pollute their water bodies to some extent. Mr Musah continued, WaterAid has also worked within government of Ghana policies, supported government to develop new policies and review existing policies and still count their successes throughout their 30years of existence in Ghana. Looking forward to celebrating their 30years in November 2015, WaterAid Ghana wants to use their Healthy Start project to reach out to Ghanaians, and healthy start means providing Water, Sanitation and Hygiene facilities at health centres to make sure mothers and children are healthy, and newborns are healthy too. Well Ghana also has a challenge when it comes to access to clean potable water, like Mr Muash said access to clean water for all can be a reality in the future. Dr Ayongo Annan noted that sanitation and hygiene is key to accesses clean potable water. And to make this a reality we all need to come aboard and work towards to this agenda. If you have any views, concerns and solutions, on access to clean water, share with me on social media, my social media link are below your screen. Water still remains a basic human necessity. Water is life. The video of this documentary will be online soon. My appreciation goes to; The people of Nyakpala In Tamale WaterAid Ghana Dr Ayongo Annan Inge Van Luesen Accra Film school WatsUpTV Lucas Henry Isaac Skechis Bright Asiamah Cortez Mike Adu Gymfi Mr Nash Mohammed