Water shortage has become a rampant issue affecting the whole of Accra, particularly the Alajo community. Residents there are struggling to access this basic necessity, forcing them to travel long distances to fetch water at a hefty cost.
Many rely on water vendors who charge exorbitant rates, making it difficult for them to afford water. A single gallon of water now costs GHC 10.00, a burden many cannot afford.
Most residents have now resorted to traveling to Ebony, a neighboring community, to fetch water. This journey is time-consuming and exhausting, but necessary for survival.
The situation is particularly challenging for business owners like Edina, a food vendor at Alajo Street. She tells The High Street Journal that she can’t operate her business due to the lack of water. She has to travel far from her place to fetch water, which is time-consuming and challenging.
“I’m struggling to keep my business afloat,” Edina said. “I need water to cook, but I have to rely on expensive vendors to get it. This is really affecting my livelihood.”
Similar to Edna, another food vendor, Sister Baraka laments the same problem. “I’m struggling to cook for my customers,” Sister Baraka said. “Without water, I can’t operate my business. It’s really affecting my income.”
A local hairdresser is also struggling to operate her business without water. She normally uses water to wash her customers’ hair, but now she has to travel far to fetch water, making it difficult to run her business smoothly.
A porridge seller is also feeling the pinch, unable to prepare her popular corn porridge due to the lack of water. She’s managing with the little water she has, but it’s affecting her ability to bath and maintain personal hygiene.
The Alajo community is calling for urgent action to address this crisis. “We need a reliable source of water,” said one resident. “This situation is unbearable.”
