Fatima Anafu-Astanga
Gowrie (U/E), Sept. 25, GNA – Students of the Gowrie Senior High Technical (SHT) School in the Upper East Region have developed innovations for the management of grey water seepage from the school into the Vea Dam.
Over the years, the sanitation problem of the school had become a worry to the authorities, the Vea Community and the Ghana Water Company Limited.
The Water Resources Commission (WRC) threw the challenge to the technical school in 2022 to develop innovations to address the sanitation problem in the school.
The WRC did this in partnership with Blue Deal, created by the Dutch Water Authorities, working in the Vea Catchment and stakeholders within the Kpasenkpe Sub basin.
Two student groups, one led by Master Sampson Atinga, and the second by Master Edward Awooh, were tasked to find solutions to the grey water treatment systems to improve the quality of water in the school.
Cash prizes of GHC1,500, for the first place, was presented to Master Sampson and his group, and GHC1,000 for Master Awooh’s group for the second place.
Both projects, estimated between GHC11,000 and GHC13, 000, are expected to be implemented in the school.
Mr Aaron Aduna, the Coordinator, WRC, prior to the presentations, told participants that the Commission’s involvement in the project was to look at integrated water resource management (IWRM), relating it to nature.
“By nature, we are not supposed to use chemicals to treat our water but because of our actions and level of pollution we use chemicals, which only last for a while,” he said.
Though the WRC and stakeholders previously would consider the engineering aspect of water, there had been a further shift to look at the totality of water resource in terms of its social economic aspects.
The Blue Deal Project, started by the Dutch Water Authorities, is working with the WRC to ensure sufficient water in right quantities for 20 million people globally.
Mr Aduna said the work of the two partners focused on the White Volta Basin and Lower Volta Basin (downstream of Akosombo).
Ms Alebedeem Adombire, the representative of the Ghana Water Company Limited, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said he was impressed with the work of the students, which would be of immense help to the school when implemented.
It would help reduce water production cost of the company and reduce the level of pollution that goes into the dam that supplies water to the school, Bongo and parts of the Bolgatanga Municipality.
Mr Andrew Asanviansa, the Assistant Basin Officer, spoke on how funding could be raised for any of the projects and said the WRC would work with the stakeholders to access funds for its implementation.
Mrs Elizabeth Pasga Zinye, the Headmistress, commended Blue Deal for choosing the school to compete in the challenge and that it had broadened the students’ knowledge in that field.
GNA