Emmanuel Bortey Borketey, the Chief Executive Officer of Charger Limited has, through the Happy Man Foundation, commissioned a borehole for residents of Zaari-Kolmasug, a community in the Garu District of the Upper East Region.
Charger Limited, producers of HM Life Mixture, Happy Man Bitters, and Black Legend Coffee Gin relies on water heavily for its production processes and therefore identifies water for communities as a critical need.
The borehole which forms part of his gift to the community to mark his birthday, which falls on June 23, also goes a long way to address water crises in the community.
Access to water remains a challenge for many communities in Ghana as the Population and Housing Census in 2021 captures that nearly 8% of households still rely on unsafe water sources with 1 person out of every 10 being compelled to spend more than 30 minutes to access an improved water source.
With water and sanitation being key to societal transformation, Mr. Borketey found it prudent to construct the borehole for the community that has for decades battled with water challenges that have a rippling effect on household activities, school attendance, and the health of residents.
The borehole is to help in efforts to meet Goal 6 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which talks about ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030.
In his brief remarks on behalf of the CEO, the Upper East Regional Manager of Charger Limited, Edward Anafo Abanbila, noted that the company wants a future in which water would be available for all. “. This borehole is part of our commitment to environmental stewardship and community support. We believe that our success as a company is intertwined with the well-being of the communities in which we operate.”
He said beyond doing business, the company seeks to make a significant impact on the lives of people in communities such as Zaari-Kolmasug. “We are not just here to do business; we are here to make a positive impact. And this borehole is just the beginning. We have more initiatives lined up to support and uplift our communities.” He stated.
The Assembly Member for Zaari Electoral Area, Mahama Kassim, in an address on behalf of the Chief and residents of the area, explained that the constructed borehole brings a huge relief to residents, who have endured years of struggle to access water.
“We are grateful to have this borehole. Our situation was unbearable and people had to commute long distances to access water during the rainy season, they couldn’t cross the stream to fetch water and were compelled to depend on the stream. We want to assure you that we will make good use of this borehole and we pray that the company will continue to grow from strength to strength,” he said while wishing the CEO a happy birthday.
In a similar vein, Charger Limited donated food items and toiletries to the Mahama Lardi Orphanage Home in Bolgatanga amounting to 10,000 cedis.
