Some communities in the Savelugu districts of the Northern Region have been battling with water challenges for several months now.

The only natural source of water for five communities in the area here has dried up as a result of the impact of climate change.

A resident of Zoggu, Fuseni Fatima, who is heavily pregnant explains how she struggles to fetch water from the only water source in her community.

“I always have to beg those here to allow me fetch because of my condition. I am pregnant and since morning I have fetched only one gallon of water,” she said.

Children are not spared this ordeal, 10-year-old Saiba Ayishatu and her friends ride a bicycle for close to an hour to get water from the neighbouring community.

“Every morning we come and fetch water before we go to school, but before we get the water the sun will already be up and as a result we are always late for school," Saiba said.

In the middle of the  Zoggu community, lies a water tank which is meant to provide water to residents.

The water tank is connected to a solar mechanized well drilled in 1999. The well was however constructed by international NGO World Vision for the community in 2015 but water does not flow through the pump anymore because of some damaged solar panels.

A community leader at Zoggu, Adam Tahiru says that the broken down water tank has affected their vegetation drastically and therefore they need help to get it fixed.

“Because it is damaged, water has stopped flowing through the tanks since the beginning of the year. We don’t have money to fix it so we need help.

“As of now, there is no water here and so we are unable to cultivate vegetables unless we go to the bush, cut trees and sell as firewood, we need water here,” he lamented.

The dam, which is located in the middle of five communities and is supposed to be their water source is in a deplorable state as well.

Due to the impact of climate change and the harsh weather conditions, the water dam is now bare land.

One resident of Tiho, Nurudeen says that the water dam dries up every year as soon as it stops raining and is pleading that something can be done about it to resolve the issue of water in his community.

“It happens every year. Immediately the rains stop it dries out.

“We want this dam to be mechanized to be able to hold water for a longer time without drying, because of that we have been unable to cultivate especially vegetables for years,” Nurudeen lamented.

Residents in these communities are predominantly farmers and depend on water to irrigate their farms and therefore are unable to cultivate vegetables because there is no water for irrigation.

Mr Tahiru says that a good number of the community's youth are migrating down south for greener pastures.

“Our youth are leaving to the south to engage in menial jobs and become head-porters.

“If the dam had water, we could produce vegetables for them to trade and stay here, “he said.