The government has launched the Gushego Water System project to address the persistent water shortages in northern Ghana.

The new initiative aims to provide clean, reliable drinking water to the communities of Gushegu, Bulugu, and Nyensung.

The project, which was officially launched over the weekend, is being funded by the government at a cost of GH₵1.23 million ($80,655.74) and is managed by the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA).

Per reports, the project is designed to meet the water needs of approximately 53,954 people for the next 20 years, with an estimated daily demand of two million gallons (7,570,823 liters).

The system will feature two mechanized boreholes in Bulugu and two activated boreholes in Nyensung, all powered by solar energy and grid electricity.

Water will be transported through 9.3 kilometers of pipelines to a high-level steel tank with a capacity of 35,200 gallons (around 133,246 liters), from which it will be distributed to local residents via 32 public standpipes.

The Member of Parliament for Gushegu, Hassan Tampuli, has stressed the importance of the project, describing it as a crucial step towards addressing the long-standing water supply challenges in the region.

“Perennial water challenges serve the people for a long time. From now to April next year we were likely to suffer a severe water shortage in Gushegu and its communities because of the drought we suffered in the Northern Region,” he stated.

This new initiative complements the two solar-powered water systems commissioned by the US Government in April, which are expected to serve over 20,000 residents in the Gushegu Municipality and Nanton District.

Funded by USAID at a total cost of GH₵10 million ($877,546), these systems are part of the US Government’s Global Water Strategy and USAID/Ghana’s High Priority Country Plan, which seeks to provide climate-resilient water solutions to 500,000 Ghanaians by 2027.

Meanwhile, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) has received a $3.6 million donation from the US and the UK to support 70,000 drought-affected people in northern Ghana.

This funding will help provide cash transfers to families, enabling them to purchase food as prices rise due to reduced agricultural production caused by the drought.

Around one million people across eight regions, including Bono and Upper West, are struggling with severe drought conditions, making access to food a significant challenge as seasonal crops and livestock have been devastated.