Over 500 Rural Residents in Gbarngasiaquelleh Town Lack Safe Drinking Water

By Jangar Boimah Johnson

Reports reaching Rural Reporters News Network say over 500 residents in Gbarngasiaquelleh, Bong County lack safe drinking water. Gbarngasiaquelleh is town located in Panta District, Bong County. Over 500 of the town’s inhabitants are said to be drinking from creek water as their only option.

Residents say the situation is posting threats to their lives with many of them of constantly experiencing strange health conditions they think is attributed to waterborne diseases.

Town chief Moses Sayewolo narrated that they usually fetch water from the nearby creek and river for domestic use including cooking, washing and drinking.

Chief Sayewolo recounted that due to the lack of safe drinking water, they are compared to drink from an unsaved water, which according to him is creating sickness among citizens in the town mainly the kids.

He stated that if nothing is done about the situation, the issue of waterborne disease may affect the entire population of the town and its surroundings

“The citizens of the town will continue to get sick from the contaminated water that is serving as threat to many inhabitants lives with in the town”, town chief Sayewolo lamented.

He used the occasion to launch an appeal for assistance from the government, humanitarian organizations and development partners to construct handpumps in their community.

In a related development, residents of Gbarngasiaquelleh have called on the government and development partners to help build clinic in their community. Town chief Sayewolo said the lack of health facility often compared them to transport sick people to Garmu town, something he described as unfortunate and unbearable.  

“We are suffering here, no safe drinking water, no clinic here at all. Before we get water for drinking, our women and children usually go to the creek or river to fetch water for us to drink, the same water we use for washing, bathing and cooking”, said the town chief