The Mayor of Tamale and the 2024 parliamentary candidate of the New Patriotic Party for the Tamale Central constituency, Hon Sule Salifu, has commissioned and handed over a newly constructed mechanized borehole for the Tamale Central Prisons.
The project was funded by the Fathi Foundation, a nonprofit making organization operating in the northern region. The Tamale Chief Executive Officer after a short ceremony to commission the project on Monday (May 6, 2024) highlighted the critical need of water for both the inmates and prison officers.
“I worked with the Yendi circuit Court for seven years, in that regard I had some connections with the prisons and the police as well. So I have been looking at the problems of the judiciary service, the police and the prisons.”
“I have written several letters to the embassies to help the assembly to deliver certain projects to improve the wellbeing of these institutions and other communities. I got in touch with Fathi college and Fathi foundation in one of such engagement to see how we could collaborate to reduce some of the challenges in some of these institutions” he narrated.
Mr. Sule disclosed a total number of twenty-eight (28) boreholes are expected to be drilled in there coming weeks across the metropolis to alleviate the suffering of the people in search of portable drinking water for both domestic consumption and economic activities.
“In total, I am drilling about 28 boreholes and so far we have drilled about 20 boreholes. In some areas we are still not getting water and we are going to move the projects to other areas that we’re likely to get water” he stated.
The Tamale metropolis and the adjoining communities has experienced severe water shortage in recent years leaving residents to depend on unwholesome water sources. The situation has had great impact on education, health and economic activities.
Mr. Yasin, the Principal for Fathi College, who supervised the construction of the project said the foundation was established in 2012 to do charity and humanitarian activities to support the needy and underprivileged in society.
“We are very happy to commission the borehole because we have seen that the people are really in need of water and as they say water is life.”He further admonished the prison authority to ensure the proper maintenance of the facility to last longer.
Chief Superintendent of Prisons, Amatus Siekuri, the second in command on behalf of the Regional Commander thanked the Mayor and officials of Fathi foundation for assisting the Prison Service with the borehole.
“This project commissioned has gladden our hearts – not only the hearts of officers who escort them all over town looking for water but the inmates themselves” he said.
According to CSP Siekuri, the Tamale central prisons was built to contain 78 inmates but now house a total of 250 inmates and underscored the critical need for frequent water supply. He emphasized that the borehole is really something they cherish so much and expressed optimism that it will go a long way to serve both inmates and the officers.
