Every day, residents of Yapei, in the Central Gonja District of the Northern Region wake up to share their only source of drinking water – the Black Volta with animals.

These animals, including cattle, goats do not only drink from the Black Volta but they release fecal matter into it leaving the river polluted all the more, a situation residents have admitted has contributed to a good number of sickness to residents.

Interestingly, the Black Volta is also the main source of fishing activity in the community.

When the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) visited the community to construct a borehole, residents saw the initiative as a great sign. “At least we can now get access to clean drinking water”, one resident said.

However, the hopes of residents were quickly dashed when officials of SADA, in an attempt to construct the borehole for residents failed in their bid.

The chief of Yapei, Yapeiwura Alhassan Sohole is not only worried about the lack of access to potable drinking water in the community but the increasing unemployment rate in the community as well.

Speaking on My Community programme on Joy News on Multi TV, Yapeiwura Alhassan Sohole said “there is no industry that can come because our lighting system is one phase instead of four phases. We have the land and water, but we need entrepreneurs interested in large scale farming to come up and help improve the situation for our people. We depended on SADA and it has failed us”.

He also lamented that there is no Senior High School in Yapei and pupils have to travel for miles to access Secondary education in other communities.

He told Joy News, “We don’t have any secondary or technical school. The highest is the J.H.S. …We wish we could get either a day or boarding secondary school to help the villages surrounding us and the numerous J.H.S around the town, so that they don’t suffer from this educational system”.

Residents say, even though China Jiangxi Corporation for International Economic & Technical Cooperation has set up a Centre for business, they cannot operate because the electrical power which came into the community in 1992 is on a single phase and cannot support the whole community.

Positioned as the second largest community of the Central Gonja district, the town boasts of nothing more than an abandoned community Centre supposed to house the post office and library but which has been transformed to a residence and entertainment center.

Ibrahim Mahafuzu Sappor, a resident of Yapei is also worried about the situation. “The district assembly moved some flood victims in here three years ago, and this has all contributed to the poverty situation here. Apart from the river which is our main source of income, we have nothing”.

Access to basic social amenities is also a major challenge to residents of Yapei. 

“There are only two toilets functioning in this community. We have made an appeal to the district assembly but to no avail.” Salifu Badow, an elder of the Yapei palace lamented.

He also explained the historical background of the name Yapei.

“Yapei” means 'footprints home'. This area was full of animals from the game and usually when the river dries up; they cut across this place to the interior side of the north....In Gonja we say ‘Aya-pei’, meaning footprints home because when you trace the footprints of the animals, you will get the animal to kill.”

Yapei located in the Gonja district of the Northern Region is one of Ghana’s popular township in the then Gold Coast era, but in recent times it has been reduced to nothing due to several activities impeding development in the area.

The Chief, elders and residents of Yapei are therefore pleading with authorities to come to their aid and to restore its past glory.