'Kufuor gallons' back as water shortage hits Tema and its environs

The situation has crippled businesses that use water daily.

Areas to be affected

The management of the water company in a statement said the affected areas in the eastern part of the capital include Afienya, Apallonia, Gbetsele, Ashaiman, Katamanso, Kakasunanka, Adjei Kojo, East Legon Trasaco, All the communities in Tema (Community 1 to 25), Free Zones enclave.

Other environs include Tema Industrial Area, Dawhenya, Prampram, Spintex Road, Batsonaa, Coca Cola, Kasapreko, Manet, Lashibi, Klagon, Sakumono, and surrounding communities.

The shortage, GWCL said is expected to last for five days to enable "engineers to replace two hundred meters of a weak session of the main 42-inch transmission pipeline from Kpong to Tema, around Gbetsele junction."

This challenge, according to GWCL, is causing the company to lose several volumes of water daily and consequently having a serious impact on the volumes available for consumption.

Deadline over and no water

But the timeline the Ghana Water Company Limited gave to Ghanaians has elapsed as the dire situation has compelled women, men, and children to travel long distances on foot, motorbikes and tricycles (Aboboyaa) usually carrying yellow gallons popularly known as 'Kufuor gallon' in search of water at dams, and other places.

The mostly yellow water container got the "Kufuor" tag from Ghanaians because its purpose became very synonymous with struggles for drinking water in some parts of the city at the time of former President John Agyekum Kufuor in office.

The lenses of Pulse.com.gh captured some indigenes of Tema Newtown fetching water from unsanitised source in the community.