The Acting Director of the Physical Development and Municipal Services Directorate (PDMSD) at the University of Ghana, Peter Ablansah, has blamed illegal mining activities for the recent water shortage on campus.
He made the remarks while speaking on Campus Exclusive on Radio Univers, noting that illegal mining and road construction at Dodowa have disrupted water supplies to nearby communities, including the university.
“We’ve had this challenge since last year, partly due to the activities of the ‘galamsey’ operators. Treating water has become extremely costly, and even then, it’s difficult to treat it to the required standard. This has affected the water supply to various communities, including the University of Ghana.
“Secondly, listeners will recall that ongoing roadworks on the Dodowa Road have damaged some pipelines, further disrupting water supply,” he said.
Mr. Ablansah noted that the Ghana Water Company Limited currently supplies the university with water only once a week.
“The main issue is that Ghana Water is the only source of supply to the university, and we used to receive water twice a week. At the moment, we are getting only one supply a week.”
He assured students and staff that steps are being taken to address the problem. NGOs have made donations, and borehole construction projects are underway to supplement the supply.
“We have already embarked on measures to improve water access. For example, we have drilled boreholes in some departments, with NGOs funding similar projects in other areas. Likewise, we have assisted some halls of residence to sink boreholes in order to improve water supply. These measures are ongoing to augment what we get from Ghana Water,” he said.
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Story by Anita Azawodie|univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by Michelle Lartey
