Persistent media advocacy by Tobinco Media Group, operators of Atinka TV and Bullet TV, has led to a major breakthrough for Adidome Senior High School, following the commissioning of a newly constructed, solar-powered, mechanised borehole to address the school’s long-standing water crisis.
The intervention follows a series of reports by journalist Christian Ahodie, which brought national attention to the severe water challenges confronting the school.
Last year, Atinka TV and Bullet TV highlighted the plight of students after the Community Water and Sanitation Agency disconnected the school’s water supply over an unpaid debt of GH¢120,000. Subsequent reports aired between January 7 and 9 this year showed students trekking long distances and visiting nearby streams and rivers in search of water before returning to class.
The reports sparked widespread public concern and drew the attention of stakeholders, eventually leading to the settlement of the debt and restoration of water supply to the school.
In response to the situation, Republic Bank Ghana, under its corporate social responsibility initiative, constructed a modern solar-powered mechanised borehole system for the school. The facility has now been officially commissioned at a ceremony attended by students, school authorities, traditional leaders, political officials, education authorities, and community members.
Speaking at the event, the Volta Regional Minister, James Gunu, described the intervention as timely and significant, especially as many communities and institutions in the Volta Region continue to face water shortages.
He commended Republic Bank for responding swiftly to the students’ challenges and urged the school to establish a maintenance committee to ensure the sustainability of the facility.
The District Chief Executive for Central Tongu, Addison Mornyuie, also disclosed plans by the Assembly and the Ghana Education Service to construct an underground rainwater harvesting reservoir to further improve water availability on campus.
Headmaster of the school, Dr Vincent Atiku, expressed gratitude to Atinka TV and Bullet TV for consistently highlighting the school’s difficulties. According to him, the media coverage attracted support from corporate institutions and development partners, ultimately leading to Republic Bank’s intervention.
He described the mechanised borehole as a major relief, noting that students would no longer need to walk to streams and rivers in search of water.
The Managing Director of Republic Bank Ghana PLC stated that the project aligns with the bank’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly access to clean water and sanitation.
According to the bank, no educational institution should struggle to access safe drinking water. He added that the bank decided to intervene after learning about the hardships students were enduring and appealed to both students and management to maintain the facility properly.
The commissioning ceremony ended in jubilation among students and staff, many of whom described the project as life-changing and a strong example of how impactful journalism and corporate partnership can drive meaningful social change.
For Adidome Senior High School, the project now stands as a lasting testament to the power of responsible journalism and collective action.
