River Dakar being dredged to solve Yendi water crisis

The Yendi Municipal Assembly in collaboration with Ghana Water Company Limited, has begun dredging the River Dakar, the main source of water for Yendi township, which has been hit by severe water shortage.

Dredging the river was necessitated by the accumulation of silt over the years, which has restricted the free flow of raw water.

Mr Issah Zakaria, Municipal Chief Executive, said this during a stakeholders’ meeting on the water crisis.

He said the project is being assisted by the Eastern Corridor Road Contractors, who have assisted the Assembly with an excavator for the dredging process.

Mr Zakaria said the aim of organising the stakeholders’ meeting, which was attended by opinion leaders, traditional authorities, security services, heads of department and representatives of political parties, sought suggestions for solutions to the crisis.

Mr Sarfa Kantanka, Municipal Coordinating Director, said the crisis is affecting all and should therefore not be politicised.

Mr William Akpai, District Manager of Ghana Water Company Limited, said the solution to the water problem is to build a new treatment plant on the River Oti, which has an unrestricted flow of water.

During an open forum, the stakeholders appealed to the assembly to stop people from farming along the banks of River Dakar.

They said it is also important for trees to be planted along the banks of the river.

A 13 member task force was formed to find solution to the water crisis