In a modern world where water is a necessity of life, more than 2000 residents of Lawui and Klokpui communities located in the Wute Electoral Area of Akatsi South District in the Volta Region do not have access to it.
A visit made by GhanaWeb's Volta Regional correspondent to the two communities which are close to each other, reveals the tussle and hustle residents of the communities go through on a daily basis if they opt to use clean water for cooking and drinking. The place where they fetch this water is located more than 3.5 kilometers away from the communities.
The two communities rely on a small and absolutely muddy dam for their water. Water fetched from the dam is used for cooking and drinking by residents who cannot afford the price charged them per one (Kufour) gallon.
Some residents of the communities who spoke to GhanaWeb’s Peter Atsu Ahianyo at the bank of the dam said they all rely on the dam for washing, cooking and drinking including cattle, sheep and other animals in the communities. They also revealed that some people who want to get the clean water for either drinking or cooking are charged around GHS 2.00 per Kufour gallon and since most of them cannot afford that, they resort to using the dirty water for everything.
One elderly woman who also spoke to Peter indicated that they have been living with the situation for more than three decades. The woman however said when the dam was first built during the Jerry John Rawlings’ administration, the water was far better. She added that soon after the dam started harvesting water, Fulani herdsmen begun settling in the communities with their cattle using the dam as a source of water for their cattle.
According to the Assembly Member of the Wute Electoral Area, Hon. Wisdom Akpablie, the distance to the only clean water source in his electoral area makes his electorates exposed to several water-borne diseases and it affects continuously their wellbeing every day. The much-concerned Assemblyman, however, pleaded with government, philanthropists, NGO's and churches for intervention.
Aside the water problem these two communities face, electricity is also a major problem. The two communities have never seen electricity extended to them despite numerous plea to the past and current governments. The communities are however engulfed in total darkness in the night. Out of the over 2000 residents in these communities, only one person has a very small solar panel that he uses to provide his household with light at night.
Furthermore, residents of the communities have to embark on a 3.5 kilometer journey on foot before getting access to the only clinic in a nearby village for their health services. The only school in the area is also located close to the clinic and students from these communities have to walk down the more than 3.5 kilometers deserted road to get to school.
A student in Klokpui, one of the communities said that she and her other colleagues leave around 6 in the morning so they can be in school before 7:30 in the morning. When asked if there are no other means of transport to school, the student said there is only one motorbike owner in the communities and he is most often not available. He also charges them an amount their parents cannot afford.
Lawui and Klokpui are predominantly farming communities where livestock rearing and crop farming are a source of residents’ livelihood.
