FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda)
Abdoulie G. Dibba
2 November 2009
Villages like Nyanga Bantang, Nyoro Buba, Jaharr and Ndowen in the Central River Region North, have been hit by serious water shortages. This was revealed to this reporter by the villagers during a recent visit to the area. Talking to this reporter at Nyanga Bantang, Yaa Adama, leader of women's group numbering over two hundred members, said their major problem is water.
Yaa Adama told this reporter that a village like Nyanga Bantang which hosts a luumoo (weekly market) has only two wells for the supply of clean drinking water, one for the village and one for the school. The one in the village, Yaa Adama said is dysfunctional because of a technical breakdown since last year and the villagers are now using the school well. Yaa Adama said the demand on the well is so high that women quarrel very often due to the long queue. She appealed to the government and Non-governmental organizations to help address the water shortage in Nyanga Bantang to ease their suffering.
Talking to this reporter at Ndowen, Jama Ndow indicated to this reporter that the water situation in Ndowen requires sympathy. She said with a cattle population of over two thousand heads and an uncountable number of ruminants, the village is relying on only one well that was provided for the cattle population. She said the well that was provided to the village has collapsed a long time ago.
Jama asserted that due to the demand of water on the single well, the well gets dry quickly leading to muddy water being produced. To avoid drinking muddy water Jama said they have to abandon the well for two days to regain some water. This Jama said, makes them to go all the way to Kerr Mandumbeh. He said, a solitary water container costs them 50 bututs. She said 400 litres which is the least that a household would need cost D10 plus transportation cost of D50 for those without horse carts or donkey carts.
Jama told this reporter that every day, more than thirty (30) horse and donkey carts do ply to Kerr Mas-Ndumbeh in search of water. During the operational days of the only well she said, one would spend three-quarters of the day to secure only 20 litres of water.
This Jama said, coupled with the pounding of coos and other domestic chores make life difficult for the Ndowen women. She called on government and non-government organizations to come to Ndowen's aid before they would migrate and resettle somewhere else only because of lack of water in the village.
At Nyoro Buba, Alpha Njie indicated that the water shortage in Nyoro Buba is a cause for concern. He pointed out that the well they were using for their water supply became dysfunctional in recent years.
However he said, this year they have a hand pump well but that well alone cannot serve the village and therefore could not solve the water shortage in the village. Mr. Njie pointed out that due to the high number of cattle in the village coupled with the horticultural activities of the villagers, the demand for water is high and therefore could not be met by a single well. He called on the government to help with an additional well to address the water shortage in the village.
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