UE/R: Group provides 150 Veronica Buckets at borehole spots against COVID-19

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Well Constructed, an organisation dedicated to supporting communities in need of drinkable water in Ghana, has made available 150 hand-washing buckets and positioned them near some 96 boreholes it has provided so far for free in the Upper East Region.

The donation is part of its campaign against the spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has claimed more than 200,000 lives worldwide.

The containers, also referred to as Veronica buckets, were donated along with cartons of bottles containing liquid soap as supplements for hand-washing purposes.

“Our vision is to provide every community in Ghana with a borehole that will be less than 100 metres away from households.  Since our inception in 2015, we have successfully constructed 100 boreholes in the Upper East Region and other parts of the country and currently in the process of drilling additional 38 wells. As we are all aware, coronavirus has befallen our nation. Many people use the hand pumps each day to fetch water, especially during this dry season that there is always shortage of water.

“With the nature of the COVID-19 disease, we think that the surface contact of the boreholes, especially the handle of the pump, could spread this virus when contaminated. So, we spoke with our donors to support us purchase Veronica buckets in order to, as part of our social responsibility, give out to our [beneficiary] communities,” the organisation’s Chief Financial Officer, Samuel Anaba, stated as he welcomed stakeholders including government officials at the donation event held in the Upper East regional capital, Bolgatanga.

Government commends Well Constructed and Donor Partners

A Deputy Director in charge of Administration at the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council, Alhaji Ibrahim Habila, who represented the Upper East Regional Minister, Tangoba Abayage, at the event, commended Well Constructed and its United-States-based donor associates for augmenting government’s anti-COVID-19 campaign.

“It is very gratifying as your support complements government’s efforts in the fight against the pandemic. Businesses should be socially responsible by paying back to society. Therefore, your effort is very, very commendable.

“I implore you to keep it up and to also call on other benevolent institutions, organisations, to also come out to support in this fight. Let me add that those who are going to [benefit from the donation] should use the items for the purpose for which they have been given to them,” remarked the Deputy Director.

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Bolgatanga, Joseph Amiyuure, in an address delivered on his behalf by the Presiding Member (PM) of the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly, Nyaaba Abileo Rawfield, appealed to Well Constructed to “provide water for the Bolgatanga Craft Village” and support more communities that were yearning for potable water in the municipality.    

Concerns about Safety Raised and Addressed

The organisation did not just provide the anti-COVID-19 items. Its officials also toured the beneficiary communities after the donation ceremony to educate residents how to wash their hands with soap under running water to stop the spread of the disease.

The safety of the hand-washing buckets placed at the various borehole sites across the region’s 15 municipalities and districts came up as a major concern as the officials took the anti-COVID-19 crusade to the communities. The organisation’s Chief Operational Officer, Anaba Moses Atanga, addressed the concern when he spoke to newsmen.

“We’ll be having a discussion with the communities, especially their leadership, to ensure that the time of fetching water is actually obeyed. At this pandemic stage, things have changed and we also need to adjust accordingly. If the Veronica buckets are left at the borehole sites, they would be taken away.

“We are talking to the leadership of the communities to talk to everybody that there is a time to fetch water from morning to night. After 7:00pm, the buckets can be taken to a reliable keeper in the community until the next day. We will not have an occurrence where somebody walks in at any time to come and fetch water, posing danger to the community,” he said.

A rundown of the water provision projects undertaken so far shows the organisation has drilled 30 boreholes in the regional capital, 21 in the Bongo District, 3 in Talensi, 5 in Nabdam, 4 in Kassena-Nankana, 15 in Builsa North, 18 in Bawku West and 1 at the Obogu Health Centre in the Ashanti Region. The not-for-profit organisation is also credited with repairing 3 boreholes for some health facilities at Saboba in the Northern Region, Pelungu in the Upper East Region and Obogu in the Ashanti Region.

By Edward Adeti, Upper East region, Daily Mail GH