Each year, World Water Day highlights a specific aspect of freshwater, and this year's event is under the theme ‘Water and Jobs’.

This year's event also provides an important opportunity to consolidate and build upon the previous World Water Days to highlight the two-way relationship between water and the decent work agenda in the quest for sustainable development.

UN-Water supports the World Water Day campaign and sets the theme each year.

As Ghana joins the world to mare the day, Joy News’ Joseph Opoku Gakpo visits Devime, a former fishing community in the Central Tongu District and reports the Akosombo dam has cost the jobs of locals in the community.

Although the construction of the Akosombo Dam has helped light up Ghana and accelerated its development over the years, the damning of the Volta River has caused several of its tributaries downstream to become extinct – making it impossible for communities along it to earn their livelihoods from the river.

Before 1963, the Volta River used to run through this community, Devime. The Agbenorbu tributary, as it was called, was about 4 miles long and 30 yards wide. Residents relied on the water body for their livelihoods and transportation.

Following the construction of the Akosombo Dam, the river running through this community became stagnant. Weeds started growing in it, and now, the bushes have grown in place of the river. It’s about six metres deep but it’s already a forest now, serving as a breeding ground for dangerous reptiles.

Now that the water body is no more, residents of this fishing community have lost a major livelihood. Now, they are struggling to survive.

The situation is same in many nearby communities. Residents want the Volta River Authority to help them deal with the situation to restore the water body.

The name of the lost tributary, Agbenorbu means: “We are alive because of this lake.”

The residents are just hoping the community does not die with the water body going extinct. For Joy news, Joseph Opoku Gakpo, Central Tongu.

Click audio link to listen to Opoku-Gakpo's full report.