Fetching water is our daily struggle— Taviefe SHS students cry out
Students of Taviefe Senior High School in the Ho Municipality say they are enduring a prolonged shortage of clean drinking water on campus, a challenge they note is taking a toll on their health, well-being, and academic activities.
From dawn until nightfall, students are frequently seen trekking long distances within and sometimes beyond the school premises, carrying buckets and gallons in search of water for bathing, cooking, and other everyday tasks. Many describe the exercise as tiring and disruptive to their routine.
“Looking for water has become part of our daily hardship. At times, you walk a long distance only to return with water you’re unsure is safe to use,” a student, Bless Nyake, told Channel One News.
The limited underground tanks on campus, which are meant to supply water, reportedly contain water students consider unsafe. They say the water is often murky, with visible sediments at the bottom, and occasionally gives off a foul odour. Students add that the supply to the tanks is inconsistent, leaving them with no option but to use the water despite their concerns.
Second-year students Faith Akordor and Sandra Agbloyor said that although the tank water is unclean, they resort to using it for bathing and other domestic purposes when no other option is available. When the tanks dry up completely, conditions deteriorate further, forcing many students to turn to a nearby stream as their only source of water.
The stream, they explained, contains tadpoles and other aquatic life, making it unsafe for drinking. Nevertheless, students say the absence of a dependable water supply on campus leaves them with little choice but to rely on it. “We are aware the stream water is not safe, but whenever there is no water on campus, that is where we go,” they said.
Describing the situation as alarming, the students are calling on government authorities and other stakeholders to urgently intervene by providing a consistent supply of potable water to improve living conditions on campus.
The headmaster, Sadrack Abiwu, also acknowledged the problem in an interview with Channel One News, noting that it remains one of the school’s most serious challenges. “The persistent lack of potable water is affecting the welfare of our students. Management has made several appeals because access to clean water is essential for health, sanitation, and effective teaching and learning,” he said.
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