By Nana Konadu Agyeman,AKUAPEM-AKROPONG

;'" "·c· ·~~t~~;~~e. 'commodity thathas, for years,remained out of

. the reach of thestudents of Hark Mount SinaiSenior High School at Akuapem-Akropong in. the EasternRegion.- The acute water problem has.compelled the students andmanagement to resort topurchasing sachet water fordrinking and using water from

Visit www.gra~hic.com.ghNews 53

• Some of the students fetching water fromone of the streams with scanty waterPix: Nana Konadu Agyeman

Reuben K.Tordzro, added that"water from the streams maycontain some impurities thatcould be harmful to students,especially those with sensitiveskin, some of whom itch afterbathing with it".

Dysfunctional boreholesThe headmaster expressed

gratitude to the school's PTAand a philanthropist forfunding the construction of twOmechanised boreholes and atreatment plant to address thewater

problem.'However, the two pumping

I machines that pump the water

Ifrom the boreholes are currentlydysfunctional, since the water ishighly contaminated with iron;

, he stated.'Because of the iron content,

the pump keeps breaking downand getting rusted and they are

I expensive to buy and repair; headded.

i He pointed out that until theboreholes were dug, the schoolwas not regularly supplied, water by the Ghana WaterCompany compelling thestudents to always rely on thestream source.

Way outMr Siameh stated that at the

time of the construction of thetwo mechanised boreholes, the, school had no option than toutilise the available piece ofland that were found to containhigh concentration of iron.

"Aman claimed the other, piece of land the school had andi could use so the matter was sentI to court.I "But today, the issue hasbeen struck out in favour of theschool and we now have theland, and we hope someday, the

, government or a corporate bodyI will come and assist in diggingboreholes; he said.

~-~}~~The Hark Mount Sinai SHS was established in 1978 and

absorbed into the public e.Jucation system in 1991.

It was granted boarding status in 2011 and currently has a

student population of 1,500.

The students and entire school communitY depend on two

contaminated streams as their main sources of water.

Disruption to schoolactivities

"On many occasions whenthere was inadequate rainfall,the streams would dry up", theheadmaster said, and added that'there is a complete disruptionof every activity on campus,from breakfast to class andlunch as well as teaching".

In his view,academicexcellence thrived on disciplinein every institution, includingthe school.

'The need for students tolook for water has offered someof the students the opportunityto sneak out to town and it isextremely difficult to determinethose who genuinely want to goand fetch water", the senior---'.:i"'" ••..~:;:-......house master said.

Mount Sinai Senior Highneeds potable water

:: :~ :1".; i;"y.: •.••• -, -; '; • :~:~ -' .1-

a stream for bathing and chore~ p.m ~;'''Wednesday, a mUnber oflike washing clothes. .; the students, with all types of

The problem is adversely" buckets, were seen walkingaffecting teaching and learning from their dormitories to theas well as cooking of meals in streams to get their share of thethe school. .., scanty commodity.

Besides, the situation iscompelling the students towake !!p as early as 4 a.m. towalk l.jSrigdrstances to fetchwater from two Streams whichare also used by pigs.

The-students also have totrek the same distance to collect'water from the streams in theeveninj; after school.adailydrudgeiywhich makes lifeunbearable for them.

When the Daily Graphicvisited the institution at about 3

Poor water qualityThe Headmaster of the

school,Mr Samuel T.sij'Irleh,told the Daily Graphic'thataccess to potable water hadrernained/'a major problemfacing' the school for years".

"The water the students

I fetch from the two str~arns isnot the best but because theyI have no alternative they have to

i use it,"he s.tated.The seruor housemaster, Mr

Ghana Baptist University receives medical equipmentBy Joseph Kyei-Boateng, ABUAKWA

GHANABaptist University College (GBUC)hastaken delivery of medical equipment for use atits Nursing School and Clinic at Abuakwa inthe Atwirna Nwabiagya District of the AshantiRegion.

They include 15 hospital beds, five surgicaltables, two incubators, 15 mattresses, 20wheelchairs, 15 walkers and eight filingcabinets,

The equipment included 15hospital beds, five surgicaltables, two incubators, 15mattresses, 20 wheelchairs,15 walkers-and eight filing

c--~-cabinets.- - -- --- .,-,..r' .,~.

osei-Wusuh, who received the equipment,thanked the donors for the gesture and said thegadgets would go a long way in helping with

the training of students at the Nursing school.He promised that the equipment would be

put to good use and taken proper care of.

The $77,726equipment were made availablethrough the financial contribution andpartnership of the Ghana International HealthFoundation, based in Canada, the Rotary Clubof Montreal, Canada and Collaboration SanteInternationale (CSI),Quebec.

They were delivered through the NorthAmerica Baptist Association of the GhanaBaptist Convention (GBC).

The Canadian Health foundation has alsohanded over assorted shoes, two drums ofmedication, eyeglasses, garments and toys, all

valued at Canadian $12,500,to the GBCfordistribution to charity homes.

Among the consignment was aCentrifuge and microscope bedding,meant for delivery donated to the LaGeneral Hospital in Accra.

The Director for Christian Educationand Church Development of the GBC,Rev.1.K.Asante-Agyei, who handed over themedical equipment on behalf of thedonors, expressed the hope that they

... would meet the needs of the beneficiaries.The President of the GBUC,Rev.Dr Kojo