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 no water flowing through their taps for the past two weeks, as the only borehole in the school is out of service.
This comes 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 struggle 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 3 am to search for water outside the school
Some are forced to beg residents in nearby communities for water, with 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 with 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,” one student said.
Some others have 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 school’s borehole.
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, stomach first. The kids need to eat so I have assigned them to serve the pantry first.”
Join GhanaStar.com to receive daily email alerts of breaking news in Ghana. GhanaStar.com is your source for all Ghana News. Get the latest Ghana news, breaking news, sports, politics, entertainment and more about Ghana, Africa and beyond.
