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Water crisis in Dandafuri: Men struggle to find wives
● One of the non-functioning boreholes
Some men in Dandafuri, a township in the Wa Municipality of the Upper West Region are in a state of unhappiness over their inability to woo and marry women outside their community due to the water crisis in the town.
The community has five boreholes but none of them is functional and women have to travel a long distance to the next community to get water for the home.
This, according to the men the Spectator spoke to, ‘scare’ away prospective wives from other communities who rejects their marriage proposals with the inadequate supply of water as a reason.
“We’re in a difficult situation because of our water problem. When we propose to women outside the community, they refuses outright and would remark that ‘Dandafuri? No way; I cannot come and struggle for water everyday”, Mr Adamu Mahama, a community member told The Spectator newspaper during a community visit.
The Spectator observed that five nonfunctional boreholes were drilled by politicians without due consultation with the community, hence they were sited at areas with low water volumes, making it difficult to access water.
According to the Unit Committee Chairman of the community, Mr Sumaila Idris, most of the boreholes were drilled during the rainy season so much consultation was not done to get a good place to situate them.
He explained that one of the boreholes was even connected to solar but had not been functional in the last five years.
According to Madam Sadia, a woman in the community, they had to endure hours in queues at the only functioning borehole which had also broken down recently due to the pressure on it.
“We have the boreholes but you can pump forever and no water will come out; they are like white elephants because they are not serving their purpose so we mostly depend on rainwater during the rainy season.”
She said”: “even with the functioning one that has broken down, we sometimes go to the pump at 6am and return to the house at 10am.”
This situation, she said, was affecting their wards’ education especially females and younger children because the mothers and the older girls mostly went water hunting and return home late.
“By the time they go to school, it will be quite late because we come home late to prepare the smaller ones for school and the older females also help us to find water before they go to school”, she lamented and said the rainy season had been generous to them and lessoned their burden.
Even at the school, she explained that the absence of water affected good hygiene practices, such that hand washing was a thing of the past because there was no water for that.
The Chief of the community, Abdul Salam Issahaku sent an appeal to benevolent bodies to come and assist the community to fix the existing boreholes by drilling to the water table and become useful for the community.
From Lydia Darlington Fordjour, Dandafuri
Ghana’s parliament has marked the 2nd edition of May Day 2026 under the theme “ Welcome Home”.
It was special day meant to celebrate the invaluable support of the workforce, recognizing the commitment, resilience, and contributions of workers to institutional growth and national development.
Delivering the message on behalf of the Speaker, the 1st Deputy Speaker, Bernard Ahiafor, described the theme as very apt, appropriate, and timely, noting that Parliament is more than a workplace, it is a shared home.
He emphasized that we cannot speak about work without speaking about people, reminding everyone that the true measure of our work is the well-being of our people.
He urged that our traditional clothing become an integral part of our everyday clothing, and that our local languages must become integral to our daily lives, interwoven into education and practiced at home.
Referencing Standing Order 63, which captures the use of local language as optional in deliberations, he encouraged a renewed commitment to identity, saying it is significant that we “come home” and present who we are so future generations can inherit a story they can fully tell.
The Clerk, Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, in his remarks commended officers for their dedication and devotion to duty, calling on them to go the extra mile and leave legacies.
Echoing the reminder that an unexamined life is not worth living, he described the event as an invitation to reconnect with our roots through cultural revival.
The Deputy Clerk, C&FMS, Dr. Gloria Sarku Kumawu, urged all not to forget their roots, the people behind the stories of ministries, industries, and the strides made both in-house and beyond.
What began last year has now become a meaningful tradition, showcasing Ghanaian heritage, fostering unity, and encouraging innovation under the principle of diversity for unity and diversity for progress, she added.
The gathering brought together leadership, public officials, and staff across all levels, along with the media, standing as a unifying platform that honored service, celebrated culture, and reaffirmed a shared commitment to national development.
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Manhyia would serve as Ghana’s unifying force …Otumfuo assures on commemoration of 27 years on the Golden Stool
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, last Friday celebrated his 27th enstoolment with a colourful and culture-rich ceremony at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi, drawing a distinguished gathering of dignitaries from across Ghana and beyond.
Clad in splendid kente and adorned in rich traditional regalia, the dignitaries added colour and elegance to the occasion, as the palace grounds came alive with a vibrant display of Ghanaian culture.
Traditional drumming, dancing and symbolic rites underscored the deep-rooted heritage of the Ashanti Kingdom, captivating guests and reaffirming the value of tradition in modern society.
Speaking at a high-level Executive Gala organised by the Diaspora Affairs Office of the Office of the President in strategic partnership with the E ON 3 Group, the ‘World-Meets-in-Ghana’ gala, the Asantehene urged Ghanaians to guard against the divisive tendencies of partisan politics.
The event was to honour the Asantehene’s nearly three-decade reign under the theme ‘Advancing Peace and Sustainable Economic Development through Royal Vision’.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II noted that such attitudes threatened the country’s long-standing values of unity, civility and brotherliness.
He assured that Manhyia would continue to serve as a unifying force for the nation.
The celebration also featured the presentation of commemorative gold coins to notable national leaders, including the President, John Dramani Mahama, former Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as well as Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, a former Vice President in recognition of their contributions to peace and national development.
By Spectator Reporter
