In Valunia Chiefdom… One Water well for 6000 people

Baomahun village in the Valunia Chiefdom 36 miles from the Provincial Headquarter Town of Bo is currently faced with scarcity of water as there is only one water well for the 6000 residents of the village.
Mabinty Kallon, a class three pupil aged 10 years, spends hours fetching water from the well before going to school. She has to fetch eight buckets of water daily and there is a bold scar in the middle of her hairy head.
She said “I normally arrive at school very late due to long distance I have to cover to fetch water unaided, and I also have other domestic work to do during the morning hours before going to school for classes”.
Scarcity of water in the Valunia Chiefdom and its surroundings has seriously affected residents.
Villagers cluster at the only water well to fetch water for both drinking and domestic use. Although it has taken years without the application of any chlorine people still rely on it as the only source of getting water.
Health workers interviewed disclosed to this reporter that several residents of the area have reportedly complained cases of diarrhoea, cholera and dehydration at the health centre but with the advent of the Free Health Care for pregnant mothers and under five children, patients are getting drugs free of charge.
Mohamed Norman a resident of Baomahun village said “some of the residents are reverting to fetching water from streams and nearby lakes which are mostly contaminated.
Since the construction of the one water well in the village by an International NGO two years ago, the government is yet to construct more water wells for the growing population.
Residents in the area are calling on the government, local authorities and non governmental organizations to construct more water wells in the Chiefdom for them because they have limited sources of getting water for both drinking and domestic use.
Hon. Paul Kamara representing constituency 77 said “my people need safe drinking water in this village and plans are underway to partner with development partners and mining companies to construct more water wells for them.
By Saidu Bah