Nii Allotey, 17, is carting a truckload of yellow containers filled with water. He has been up early around 5am on Friday morning combing around the La vicinity for water. “Our tap has been off for almost three weeks,” he says. “Even when it comes on it’s only for a short period.” He forcefully drags the truck with help from his two younger brothers with no shirts on, but only small panties with no footwear. They burst into a strange song whiles pushing the truck. “We came all the way from Osu to La for the water,” he said with a bit of quake attitude. Nearby from where they got the water, another group of boys and girls have both plastic and metallic buckets queued up at a public container, waiting for their turn. The queue is very long, wondering if most of them will be lucky enough to get a drop of water at all. “The water level is gradually reducing,” one teenage girl chewing what looks like a neem tree said loudly. The water shortage at La Township, Accra, and its envions is no different from other major areas in most urban centres in the country. Places like Madina, Adenta, parts of East Legon, Gbawe and the Tema metropolis continue to battle with the situation. Residents in areas like Adenta and Madina for example, have to spend close to GH¢20 a week for water supply tankers to deliver water to their homes. The water situation is not getting any better despite assurances from officials at the Water Resources Ministry and that of Aqua Vitens Rand Limited that the situation has improved. For example, a promise by sector minister Alhaji Saddique Boniface Abubakar of short and long term plans is yet to make the needed impact. Taking his turn at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) Evening Encounter last Thursday, the ruling party’s flag-bearer Nana Akufo Addo sympathized with urban dwellers on the issue of water supply. While claiming that the situation has somewhat improved in some rural areas, Nana Akufo-Addo, wearing a double breasted dark blue political suit, was not convinced that residents in major urban centres have seen any improvements in their water supply despite the bright picture officials of the water sector continue to paint. “The situation in some of our urban areas, such as Accra, Tamale, Koforidua and Mankesim, require a lot more urgency in completing ongoing water provision projects,” he said. Meanwhile statistics from the water company say a shortfall of about 9 million gallons of water per day from a total demand of 85 million and supply of 75 gallons per day from both the Weija and Kpong Treatment Plants providing treated water to residents in Accra and respective areas were recorded. Touching on the state of infrastructure in the country, the NPP presidential candidate was boastful that his government has undertaken “the most comprehensive” programme since the first republic. “The total road network of our country, which stretched for 39,000km in 2000, had increased to 62,000km in the first five years of the NPP,” he said. However, his critics say the statement is a major turn around for a party that had in the past lambasted the then NDC government for spending the state resources on roads when majority of Ghanaians are still in abject poverty. “You are better off when the road in your area has been improved and travel takes less time than before” Nana Addo stated. Reflecting on the recent economic difficulties which government blames on external shocks, Akufo Addo said despite the shocks the economy has shown great resilence because of what he said is the “NPP’s responsible management” of the situation. “We recognise that there is a great deal more work to be done to ensure that our citizens get a better life,” he intoned despite his earlier statement that the economy is the best since independence. Meanwhile, Nii Allotey has swapped position with one of his younger brothers who looked tired from pushing the truck from behind. Source: Daily Express /By Nii Kwaku Osabutey ANNY kwaku.anny@dailyexpressonline.com