The Overlord of Gonjaland Yagbon-Wura Tuntumba Bor-Esa II has called for immediate measures to curb the consistent water shortage faced by residents in West Gonja in the Northern Region.
Conveying the message of his Royal Majesty Yagbon-Wura Tuntumba Bor-Esa II to the Northern Regional Minister Saeed Salifu, the linguist at the Yagbon Palace, Alhaji Iddrisu Afuli, revealed the water crisis in Damongo and its environs is now life-threatening as it has deepened each season to the extent that residents can no longer bear the situation.
The linguist, who appeared desperate, used a popular Gonja parlance “inchu mo nnta” which literally means ‘There is no water thus immediate and lasting measures may have to come in handy’.
Damongo, the district capital of the West Gonja, is about 30 kilometres away from Buipe, home of the Black Volta, which is the nearest water source that can be pumped to Damongo for use in the absence of rains.
Mechanized boreholes and rains have been the sources of water supply for both domestic and commercial usage as residents continue to shun the patronage of the only stream source called the Suro stream that flows all year round. It is being shunned because of some cultural belief that some families are forbidden from drinking from the stream.
This leaves residents with no other choice of water sources in the district, making it extremely difficult to survive in the absence of rain.
The Yagbon-Wura, therefore, made the appeal when the Northern Regional Minister Saeed Salifu paid a courtesy call on the Overlord at the Yagbon Palace in Damongo.
The Minister in his response assured overlord, his elders and residents of government’s preparedness to fix the challenges including water shortages faced by residents in the Region.
Mr Saeed Salifu called on the overlord to open his doors to investors, who according to him would be trooping into the country to commence businesses among which is agribusiness.
He said with the Gonja Kingdom being the largest landscape in the Northern Region, most of its land will be needed for agricultural purposes.
“I am here to assure that the presidency is aware of your challenges including unemployment and of course the water shortage, government is committed to solving all these challenges in no time. Let me use this opportunity to appeal to you to make available parcels of land for investment when the need arises”.
The Minister, who was accompanied by Northern Region Chairman of the New Patriotic Party Daniel Bugri Naabu and some other regional executives, revealed he will collaborate with the Minister for Chieftaincy and the traditional council to assist chiefs bring lasting solutions to disputes in the Region including Gonjaland’s.
“Gonjaland used to be the most peaceful kingdom in the Northern Region,” he noted, “however, it has also found itself on the conflict list with pockets of chieftaincy conflicts.
“My administration will collaborate with the Ministry for National Security, Chieftaincy and the traditional council to ensure we bring lasting peace to our region for the development. Government has promised it will not meddle in chieftaincy issues as it remains a preserve for the traditional council and that is what I will do.”
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