Environmentalists in the Northern Region have called for intensified environmental awareness creation and the implementation of the laws to check environmental pollution in the region.

“The chiefs, elders, opinion leaders and assemblymen and women must religiously be involved in the crusade to protect water bodies.

“They should be brought on board to be able to overcome the challenges facing sanitation and water supply situations in the region,” they said.

Discussing the water and sanitation issues affecting people in the region, the stakeholders said: “The water supply situation in the Northern Region is a life and death issue for more than 40 per cent of the people in the various districts”.

The Water Resources Commission (WRC) in collaboration with Global Water Partnership (GWP) organised the workshop aimed at improving access to water and sanitation in the region.

The workshop forms part of the accelerating sanitation and water for all in Ghana project, being undertaken by WRC with sponsorship from UNICEF and supported by the Netherlands Government.

The project is being carried out in five regions namely; Central, Volta, Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions, and it is to ensure that more than 500,000 people get access to safe water and improved sanitation.

Representatives of district assemblies, ministries, department and agencies, and non-governmental organisations in the Upper East Region attended the workshop.

Those from Gushiegu, Karaga, Nanumba South, and Kpandai districts said illegal fishing, through the use of noxious substances, was also on the ascendancy thus polluting the water bodies. They said illegal logging of trees within and around water sheds was another challenge while washing of knapsacks and boom sprayers in and around water bodies had become a matter of concern.

Some farmers also cultivate along the river banks, spilling agro chemicals into the rivers while more people dispose refuse in and along water bodies. High fluoride and iron contents in certain water bodies were other issues of concern.

Perenial water shortage, inadequate data on water resources, pollution and siltation of water bodies are other issues.

Mr Yaw Atuahene Nyako, of the Forest Resources Commission, said most of the forest reserves created for the protection of water heads and other water bodies like the Yakombo Forest Reserve for the protection of the Black Volta were all being encroached upon by galamsey operators.

On the way forward, the stakeholders called for intensified education among the people, more afforestation as well as information dissemination on health related issues on poor sanitation, while sensitising farmers to desist from farming along water bodies.

Mrs Adwoa Munkua Dako, Public Relations Officer of the Water Resources Commission, urged the non-governmental organisations and other stakeholders to collaborate with state institutions to work in accordance with national strategies and programmes concerning water and sanitation.