The Queenmother of Asere-Amartse We of the Ga State, Naa-Amorkor Shika Futru I, has called for access to clean water in schools to be elevated to a national security and public health priority, warning that its absence has far-reaching consequences for education and social stability.
She said the lack of potable water in schools undermined hygiene and increased sickness among pupils, which could potentially fuel absenteeism and eventually lead to school dropouts.
“That’s when we’d have people in the house saying school isn’t important in life and others also falling into bad habits and social vices. So access to water may seem very basic, but when not available, the cascading effects are dire,” she stressed.
Naa-Amorkor Shika Futru I made the call in Accra at the commissioning of a borehole water supply system she funded for the St Mary’s Anglican Church and Primary School.
Basic but critical
The traditional leader stressed that although water might appear to be a basic necessity, its unavailability could trigger a cascade of negative outcomes that could affect national development.
“This is a game-changer that would have a big impact. You may see it as just water, but I should tell you how much the score pays every month, and you calculate that for a year, 10 or 20, the amount would show you how much of a game changer this is,” she said.
She, therefore, urged policymakers to treat water infrastructure in educational institutions as a critical investment rather than a peripheral social intervention.
Beyond culture
Touching on the role of traditional authorities, the queenmother said chieftaincy institutions must go beyond cultural preservation to actively support national development, particularly education because nurturing educated and disciplined children was essential to raising future leaders.
She also called for better communication and mobilisation around community projects to encourage wider support for grassroots development initiatives, arguing that Ghanaians were naturally generous but often needed to clearly understand the impact of their contributions.
Problem solved
The Head Teacher of the St Mary’s Anglican Church & Primary School, Reverend Patricia Essuman, expressed deep gratitude to benefactors and stakeholders for responding to the school’s call and investing in the future of its pupils, emphasising that years of water challenges had disrupted instructional time and affected academic performance.
“Today, we are all proud to say that this challenge has been addressed through this bubble of projects.
This achievement would not have been possible without the generous support and commitment of our benefactors and stakeholders,” she said.
She, on behalf of the school, presented a citation to Naa-Amorkor Shika Futru I for her exceptional dedication to supporting the school and as an inspiring example of true traditional leadership.
The Head of Brand and Marketing at the Stanbic Bank Ghana, Mawuko Afadzinu, said his outfit was happy to support the queenmother’s goal because the institution was impressed by her passion for children and communal activities.
He added that they were happy to be associated with the project because they understood the value of children and the benefits to be derived from their future.
