By Gloria Anderson
The Municipal Chief Executive of Ketu North, Rev Martin Amenaki, says many communities in the municipality still rely on unsafe streams shared with cattle, exposing residents to waterborne diseases. He noted that recent boreholes provided by Meaningful Life International (MLI), a non-governmental organisation, have begun to ease the crisis by giving thousands of residents access to safer drinking water.
Speaking at the launch of the organisation’s 20th anniversary, Rev Amenaki called for broader national support to expand the intervention to other communities in urgent need, indicating that the municipality requires at least ten additional boreholes.
Meaningful Life International, which focuses on improving living conditions in deprived rural communities, renewed its appeal for increased national attention to water challenges in parts of the Volta Region as it marked two decades of humanitarian work.
The anniversary celebration comes at a time when several communities in Ketu North still face severe water shortages. Rev Amenaki described the situation as worrying, recalling that before the recent intervention, some villages had no option but to drink from the same muddy water sources used by livestock. He praised MLI’s efforts in areas such as Neighborkope and Kpokukorpe, where boreholes have been drilled alongside medical screenings and free treatments for residents.
The event, attended by partners, clergy, diplomats and government officials, highlighted 20 years of MLI’s work in transforming underserved communities. Speaking to the media, the Chief Executive Officer of MLI, Rev Godwin Kofi Ahlijah, described the organisation’s journey as one built on persistence and commitment.
“It has been 20 years of grinding,” he said. “We started with one borehole and returned to thank our donors, and that gratitude opened doors for more support. Today we have drilled more than 80 boreholes for communities that previously relied on unsafe water sources.”
He noted that access to clean water has significantly improved health and livelihoods in beneficiary communities, reducing the prevalence of water-related diseases and cutting down hours spent by women and children fetching water.
Rev Ahlijah announced that as MLI enters its next phase, it will focus on mobilising local support through its new Legacy Wells initiative, which seeks to collaborate with individuals, corporate institutions and community groups to drill 100 new boreholes nationwide. He said the vision is to reduce heavy reliance on international donors.
Activities planned for the anniversary year include nationwide awareness campaigns, outreach programmes and a “Professional Ambitions Trip” to promote domestic tourism and expose urban dwellers to rural realities. The tour will begin from Akosombo and move through the Afram Plains, Dambai, Jasikan, Nkwanta, Bimbilla and Tamale.
The organisation will also embark on a national corporate campaign dubbed “24 for 20”, encouraging companies to sponsor boreholes and receive certificates of honour from beneficiary communities. Medical outreaches targeting both water-related and lifestyle diseases will also be undertaken.
Ambassador Prof Hugh Aryee commended MLI for prioritising rural communities despite limited resources, noting that the organisation has drilled more than 70 boreholes even as its own church building remains incomplete. He further called for the adoption of technology, including artificial intelligence, to support the fight against illegal mining and protect water bodies.
As part of activities marking the 20th anniversary, MLI will undertake medical outreach, community sensitisation tours, clean-up exercises and the launch of the Legacy Wells Project, aimed at constructing 100 new boreholes over the next two years.
