The Member of Parliament for Tamale South and Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has described the worsening water shortage in Tamale as a major concern, warning that many residents still lack access to safe drinking water.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Wednesday, April 8, Mr Iddrisu said the situation remains a significant challenge for local leaders. “It’s a major, major, major headache for me and all the leadership… we are sleepless because people cannot access quality drinking water,” he stated.
He explained that existing infrastructure is struggling to meet the demands of the growing population, noting that the main facility in Dalong has outlived its capacity and requires urgent upgrades.
As part of long-term efforts, the Minister pointed to the proposed Tamale–Damongo–Yendi water project, which is expected to receive about $300 million in support from the European Union. However, he indicated that the project is still under review due to financial constraints and borrowing limits tied to Ghana’s programme with the International Monetary Fund.
In the interim, Mr Iddrisu said government is implementing short-term measures to ease the crisis, including the desilting of dams to improve water access in rural communities. He noted that even access to dam water remains a challenge for many residents.
Despite the difficulties, he assured that the government is aware of the problem and is committed to resolving it. “It is a major concern that I’m aware of, and the government will fix it,” he added.
