By Braimah Abdul Majeed, Northern Ghana Correspondent
Residents of the Chereponi District continue to battle a severe and persistent water crisis that leaves communities trapped in a cycle of contaminated water during the rainy season and total scarcity during the dry months.
While rainfall temporarily opens up water sources, local streams, dams, and surface water bodies quickly become heavily polluted and unsafe for human consumption. Conversely, when the dry season sets in, these vital sources dry up entirely, cutting off residents from reliable access to safe drinking water.
This prolonged crisis has forced countless households to rely on unsafe water for drinking, cooking, bathing, and everyday chores, exposing entire communities to severe waterborne health risks.
Inusah Keta, a resident of Chombosu, described the situation as unbearable. He noted that the shortage becomes so acute during the dry season that many men are forced to skip bathing regularly just to conserve what little water is available.
In Chereponi Township, another resident, Dramani Kojo Yamun, explained why he avoids using the community’s primary dam altogether. According to Yamun, open defecation along the banks means that rainfall washes human waste directly into the reservoir. This sanitation failure is worsened by indiscriminate refuse dumping, making the water highly toxic.
Furthermore, residents must share the shrinking water source with livestock and wildlife, including crocodiles, creating a hazardous environment for anyone attempting to fetch water.
Yamun also pointed to a recent tragedy that has left the community on edge. Residents recently recovered the body of an infant from the dam area under distressing circumstances, with parts of the body missing. While community members suspect a crocodile attack, the exact circumstances of how the child entered the water remain unverified. Nevertheless, the incident has heightened local fears, even as many families have no choice but to keep using the dam.
Even those driving the local water economy acknowledge the danger. Seidu Kalbeni, who makes a living supplying untreated dam water to local households, admitted the water is unfit for consumption. However, he explained that he continues the business because it is his sole source of livelihood, and the community has no viable alternatives.
Responding to the crisis, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Chereponi, Sheini Kofi Amadu, acknowledged the severity of the situation and outlined current local government interventions.
According to the DCE, the Assembly drilled ten hand-pump boreholes and five mechanized boreholes in 2025. Additionally, the Wanchiki Dam is currently being dredged under the Climate Smart Municipalities (CSM) project to expand its water storage capacity.
Mr. Amadu added that funds from the 2026 District Assembly Common Fund have been allocated to construct ten more boreholes, while the local Member of Parliament is actively mobilizing resources to drill additional wells across the hardest-hit communities.
However, the DCE emphasized that engineering solutions face steep environmental hurdles. The district suffers from complex geological challenges; many areas lack viable underground aquifers, meaning borehole drilling often yields dry wells.
Faced with these natural limitations, Mr. Amadu appealed to the central Government of Ghana and international development partners for immediate financial and technical support to help the Assembly build sustainable, large-scale water treatment and distribution systems.
Until those long-term solutions arrive, clean water remains a daily luxury for the people of Chereponi—a stark reminder of the urgent need for sustained infrastructure investment in the region.
Photo Caption: Residents in parts of the Chereponi District remain dependent on a heavily polluted dam for their daily water needs. Local accounts highlight the dual threats of crocodile encounters and severe sanitation challenges that compromise water safety.