ACCESS TO SAFE WATER: A DAILY STRUGGLE IN NORTHERN GHANA

Water, they say, is life. Yet for many communities across Northern Ghana, access to safe and reliable water remains a daily struggle — almost a mirage. Year after year, the crisis persists, deepens, and quietly erodes the dignity, health, and productivity of millions.
Women, children, health facilities, and second-cycle institutions remain the worst affected. Despite ongoing efforts by stakeholders, the lived reality in many communities suggests that much more must be done.

A Health System Under Strain

The importance of water in healthcare delivery can not be overstated. From infection prevention and sanitation to high-profile medical procedures such as dialysis, water is foundational.
It is, therefore, deeply troubling that the only referral and teaching hospital serving the five northern regions and parts of the Bono area — the Tamale Teaching Hospital — continues to grapple with water supply challenges This facility serves an estimated population of about six million people.

If an institution of such magnitude and strategic importance struggles with water access, one can only imagine the conditions in smaller district hospitals, health centres, and CHPS compounds across the region.

Reliable water supply is not a luxury in healthcare but a necessity for survival.

The Burden on Households

Beyond hospitals, the crisis is felt most painfully at the household level.
In many communities, women and children wake up before dawn to search for water. They walk long distances to rivers and dams, often competing with animals such as dogs, pigs, cattle, and ducks for the same unsafe water sources. The public health implications are grave: waterborne diseases, poor sanitation, and increased vulnerability to infections.
The cycle is vicious. Time that could be spent in school, at work, or on productive ventures is instead consumed by the search for water.

The Hidden Cost to Education

Students, particularly those in boarding second-cycle institutions, bear a heavy cost.

Female students are disproportionately affected. In their quest to secure water for bathing, laundry, and sanitation, some are exposed to exploitation and teenage pregnancy. Others suffer accidents while fetching water. Instructional hours are lost. Some are exposed to dangerous reptiles such as snakes and scorpions.

Male students are not exempt; in the absence of supervision and structured engagement during these long searches, some are drawn into substance abuse and other social vices.

Access to water, therefore, is not merely an infrastructure issue. It is an education, gender, and social protection issue.

Climate Change and the Northern Reality

Northern Ghana is already vulnerable to erratic rainfall patterns, prolonged dry seasons, and rising temperatures. These are realities increasingly linked to climate change.
Sustainable water management must, therefore, go hand in hand with climate adaptation strategies. Without long-term planning, seasonal scarcity will continue to translate into chronic hardship.

A Call to Action

While acknowledging government efforts to address the crisis, urgent and complementary measures are necessary:

● Regular dredging of dams and rivers. Communities with water bodies should see dredging undertaken at least every two years to maintain capacity and usability.

● Expansion of mechanised boreholes, especially in areas with viable underground water sources.

● Subsidise cost of making mechanised boreholes – To make water affordable for households, schools, and health facilities.

● Enhanced climate action education and campaigns — To promote water conservation and environmental stewardship.

● Routine supervision and maintenance of existing water systems to prevent prolonged breakdowns.

● Improved communication between Ghana Water Company Limited and consumers using accessible local communication channels.

● Effective and transparent rationing systems during peak shortages.

● Encouragement and subsidisation of rainwater harvesting systems for households and institutions.

● Support from Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and benevolent organisations to provide subsidised water tanker services to vulnerable communities.

Conclusion: Water Is a Right, Not a Privilege

Access to safe water is central to health, education, gender equality, and economic growth. It aligns with the global commitment under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 6 — ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

The people of Northern Ghana deserve more than survival; they deserve dignity.

A coordinated, transparent, and community-driven approach can change the narrative. The time to act decisively is now — because water is life, and life can not wait.

By Awal Mohammed Ibrahim
Executive Director
YECASD-GHANA