By Albert Futukpor
Yendi (N/R), Sept 30, GNA – The Yendi Municipal Assembly has said the contract for 10 mechanised boreholes, which was awarded in 2023 under the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion (SOCO) project, was revised to seven boreholes.
The Assembly said this became necessary after drilling for water proved unsuccessful in three beneficiary communities, namely Kpatua, Kamshegu and Guntingli, as attempts to access suitable water sources at the sites were unsuccessful.
It said the remaining seven boreholes sited at Kuni, Meindogu, Gundogu, Kpanjamba No. 1, Kpanjamba No. 2, Kparku and Dagbanja were subsequently completed and mechanised, and were currently in use.
The Assembly took journalists round the sites on Tuesday as part of its efforts to address issues raised in recent publications by a section of the media, which suggested that the three communities had been listed as beneficiaries of SOCO-funded water projects but the projects could not be found when the communities were visited.
The Assembly said the original contract, awarded to M. Gazaali Company Limited on October 16, 2023, covered 10 communities namely Gundogu, Meindogu, Kpanjamba No. 1, Kpanjamba No. 2, Dagbanja, Kuni, Kparku, Kpatua, Kamshegu and Guntingli.
It said hydrogeological and geophysical studies were conducted before drilling commenced with successful drilling achieved in seven of the communities.
It said Kpatua was drilled but encountered a dry aquifer while subsequent attempts at Kamshegu and Guntingli also failed to yield water.
It said following the unsuccessful drilling, the SOCO Infrastructure Specialist from Accra, the Tamale Zonal Office Engineer and its (Assembly) officials visited the affected communities and agreed to recost the project.
It said the recosting became necessary partly because the successful boreholes, were in some cases, located farther away from the communities and required additional electricity extensions and pipeline works to make them accessible to residents.
The Assembly said the revised contract sum was GH¢1,096,580.80 compared to the original contract sum of GH¢1,098,350.00 while GH¢1,086,938.40 had been paid to the contractor leaving a balance of GH¢11,411.60.
Mr Shadrack Mensah, Engineer at Works Department, Yendi Municipal Assembly explained that at Kuni, the original water source was more than 1.5 kilometres away from the community, making it impractical to locate the fetching point at the source.
Mr Mensah said the Assembly, therefore, extended the system towards the community to improve access to the water source.
He said: “We, engineers at the Assembly, are poised to get safe water and make it accessible to the community” explaining that access was an important consideration in implementing water projects.
He said some of the other communities had recorded varying levels of water yield during the siting exercises, but the yields were not sufficient for mechanisation while further drilling in some areas also failed to produce water.
He said the Assembly did not consider the situation as denying any community access to water but was rather seeking to provide access to communities where water had been successfully found while continuing to explore possibilities of providing water to the others.
Mr Imoro Ibrahim, Assembly Member for the Kuga Electoral Area, which includes Kpatua, said the community had been part of the original allocation of 10 boreholes.
He said two drilling attempts were made at different locations at Kpatua but failed to produce water.
He said he was initially unaware that the contract had been revised and only became aware of the revision after the recent media publications and subsequent explanation from the Assembly.
Mr Sugri Muniru, Yendi Municipal Chief Executive said the Assembly had decided to provide its side of the story following the recent publications emphasising that fair and balanced journalism required all relevant stakeholders to be given the opportunity to present their perspectives before conclusions were drawn.
Mr Muniru said the Assembly’s record in the implementation of SOCO interventions had enabled it to participate in other pilot activities, adding the Assembly was interested in ensuring that the benefits of the project reached the people.
He said the Assembly’s concern was to ensure that accurate information reached the public, and that communities continued to benefit from development interventions.
GNA
Edited by Benjamin Mensah
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