After years of walking long distances in search of clean water and several failed promises from politicians, residents of Yorogo Asorogobiisi, a community in the Bolgatanga Municipality, can finally heave a sigh of relief following the construction and handing over of a hand pump borehole by Friends of Prosper, a youth-led development group.
The gesture by Friends of Prosper, a group of young people advocating for Prosper Ayinbilla Awuni, an economist at the Ministry of Finance and native of Tindonmolgo, marks a significant step in addressing the community’s long-standing water crisis.
Speaking at the commissioning of the borehole, Bawa Atule, Assembly Member for the Yorogo-Tingre Electoral Area, said the project was a major relief for the people after years of unfulfilled promises from politicians and non-governmental organizations.
“In fact, today is a great day for me and the entire community,” he said. “For over eight years, we have made several appeals to the MP, the Municipal Assembly, and even NGOs, but none of them helped. Water is essential here, especially for the traditional bone setter who treats patients with fractures using boiled herbs. Many times, patients had to carry gallons of water from long distances just for treatment.”
Mr. Atule explained that the absence of a nearby borehole affected all aspects of life in the area — from healthcare to education. “School children had to wake up early to walk long distances to fetch water before attending school, often arriving late. Women also trekked several kilometers daily to find water for household use. But with this borehole, all that hardship has ended,” he said.
He commended Friends of Prosper for swiftly responding to the community’s plight, saying, “Within days of hearing our problem, they mobilized resources and came here with drilling equipment. Today, the community is grateful beyond words. Prosper and his group have done what many others only promised.”
On his part, Akunzebe Lambert, Assembly Member for Bolga-Soe and a leading member of Friends of Prosper, explained that the group’s motivation stemmed from its commitment to community development and improving livelihoods across Bolgatanga Central.
“We, Friends of Prosper, are development-oriented youth who believe Bolgatanga Central deserves serious, development-focused leadership,” Mr. Lambert said. “When we visited Yorogo Asorogobiisi, we discovered that a local bone setter who treats accident victims lacked access to water for his work. Some patients had to crawl or be carried long distances to fetch water. We felt compelled to intervene.”
He noted that the borehole was financed through individual contributions from group members and support from Prosper Ayinbilla Awuni himself. “It’s a collective effort. Prosper is one of us, and together we are committed to touching lives across communities. This borehole is just the beginning of many more interventions to come,” he added.
The Yorogo Asorogobiisi community, one of the most populated areas within the Yorogo-Tingre electoral zone, is expected to have over a thousand direct beneficiaries of the borehole, including residents, traders, and patients who visit the community for traditional medical care.
Residents, led by community elders and women groups, expressed profound gratitude to Friends of Prosper for what they described as a “life-changing intervention.”
“With this borehole, we have water to drink, cook, and treat patients safely,” a resident, Awuni Baba Edward, said. “For the first time in many years, our community feels remembered.”
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