A solar-powered mechanised borehole has been commissioned for the people of Paali in the Nadowli-Kaeo district of the Upper West Region, in a community-driven development initiative funded by Gbankor Bricks and Tiles (GBT), aimed at easing acute water shortages in the area.
The project, financed through proceeds from the brick manufacturing enterprise, is part of a broader social investment model championed by the Divisional Chief of the Kaleo Traditional Council, Naa Jamaa Matarah II, also known as Emmanuel Mwinila-Youri, who established the factory a decade ago.
He explained that the business operates a community reinvestment system, with a portion of every sale channelled into local development.
“Every single brick that we produce, five pesewas, if we sell one brick, we put five pesewas aside to try and do something back to the community,” he said in an interview after the commissioning ceremony yesterday, Tuesday, April 5.
At the commissioning ceremony, the Assembly Member for the Gbankor electoral area, Baga Wilfred, praised the swift delivery of the project, noting that it was completed within a month after water challenges were identified as a priority.
Women’s Organiser Janet Kuun-lonno expressed gratitude on behalf of residents, as the event turned into a vibrant celebration marked by traditional music and dance. In appreciation, community elders presented the chief with a sheep.
The borehole, fully powered by solar energy, is designed to eliminate operational costs and ensure sustainable access to clean water, particularly benefiting women in the community.
The initiative adds to a growing portfolio of GBT-funded interventions, including a library, an ICT centre equipped with 18 computers, school furniture support, and an annual rewards scheme for basic school pupils.
Naa Matarah II noted that the enterprise gained momentum after Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Bagbin awarded the company a contract to supply 400,000 bricks for the construction of a perimeter wall at Sombo Senior High School, enabling expansion and job creation.
The factory currently employs 18 young people—15 men and three women—who earn monthly wages of GH¢1,500 alongside year-end bonuses for consistent performance.
Beyond infrastructure support, the chief is also promoting eco-friendly clay bricks as a sustainable alternative to conventional building materials, urging wider adoption within the construction sector.
To demonstrate durability and dispel scepticism, he constructed a roadside residence using the factory’s bricks, describing it as a live showcase of the product’s quality.
“The reason we have invested in building that house is to set it up as a showpiece,” he said, noting that the structure has attracted public interest from passers-by.
He added that earlier projects, including a three-bedroom house in Fielmuo and another near the cathedral in Tumu, were less visible, necessitating a more prominent demonstration.
According to him, the clay bricks offer natural thermal comfort and eliminate the need for regular painting, making them cost-effective over time.
“You build a house with cement and concrete, what do you do? You paint it once,” he said. “This brick as you see, it doesn’t need to be painted. It is the colour of the earth; it is cool.”
Looking ahead, Naa Matarah II envisions a future where sustainable local materials are widely adopted in public infrastructure, arguing that such initiatives could help curb rural-urban migration and reduce illegal mining by creating viable employment opportunities in rural communities.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com
