A severe water shortage has hit the Koforidua Technical School (KOTECH) at Koforidua in the Eastern Region.
The over 1000 students of the school have had water flowing through their taps for the past two weeks as the only borehole in the school is also out of service.
This come almost a week after the Eastern Regional office of the Ghana Water Company Limited issued letters to schools within the region to pay their debts to the company.
Some students who spoke to Citi News indicated that they struggled daily to find water outside the school for domestic activities.
“It is very painful and disheartening as friends turn into enemies because of water, we even fight ourselves outside the school when we all rush for water,” a student stated.
A usual sight in the school each morning is of droves of students moving to and fro the school with buckets.
Some students wake up as early as 3am to search for water outside the school.
Some are forced to beg residents in nearby communities for water, water others resorting to water flowing in trenches and gutters.
Citi News’ Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku who joined some students in their search for water, discovered that some of the students scooped water from a stagnant, dirty pool. They confessed that they would use that water for bathing.
Other students who also spoke to Citi News expressed their frustration over walking for several miles to various areas including the SDA training college to take their bath.
“I can’t even remember the last time I took my bath, I, believe is over a week now since water touched my body,” a student said.
Some others also threatened to go home if the situation persists.
The lamented that they had spent all their money on sachet water.
Meanwhile, the principal of the school Mr. Oduro Gyamera has indicated that the school has contracted the Ghana National Fire Service to provide water to the pantry while measures are taken to fix the schools borehole.
“It is true we are facing a slight challenge with water but it is not too serious as being circulated by the students, we have a borehole but I was just informed the students have spoilt it so I delegated that a technician should be brought to fix it,” he said.
Mr Oduro added that, “I just signed a cheque for the supply of water by the water company to supply us with water but as you know the stomach first as the kids needs to eat so I have assigned them to serve the pantry first.”
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(Via: CitiFM Online Ghana)
