Water shortage hits Bintenge: Assembly Member calls for help

Residents of the Bintenge in the Wa East District are grappling with water crisis, as inadequate access to boreholes threatens both livelihoods and public health.

The Assembly Member for Bintenge Electoral Area, Mr. Dakurah Salifu Benjamin, has expressed concern over the situation in an interview with Info Radio.

According to Mr. Dakurah, the number of functional boreholes in the area is grossly insufficient to meet the needs of the growing population. He explained that the few available boreholes are under intense pressure, often resulting in mechanical breakdowns.

“When these boreholes break down, many people have no option but to fetch water from unsafe sources such as nearby dams, streams, and rivers. This poses serious health risks to the communities, especially children,” he said.

The Assembly Member emphasized that the water shortage is not only affecting domestic life but also has far-reaching implications for agriculture and livestock. He noted that animals are struggling to find drinking water, and the lack of irrigation opportunities has diminished prospects for dry-season farming — a key income source for many young people in the area.

“The absence of water for farming has pushed many of our youth to turn to small-scale mining as an alternative,” Mr. Dakurah added.

“This shift not only threatens the environment but also undermines sustainable livelihoods in the community.”

Mr. Dakurah is calling on government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and development partners to urgently intervene by drilling more boreholes and repairing existing ones.

He believes such action is crucial to improving water access, promoting agriculture, and preventing the drift of young people into environmentally harmful mining practices.