Nana Amoakoh, Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Works and Housing, who made the call after leading members of the Committee to visit the river site at Nawuni, said communities around the river, must be educated on the need to stop the sand winning activities on the river banks.

The visit was to apprise members of the committee about the challenges of water supply to the people of the region.

The GWCL draws water from the White Volta at Nawuni in the Kumbungu District for treatment to serve Tamale and its surrounding areas but indiscriminate sand winning activities on the White Volta at Nawuni have led to degradation and siltation of the river, making it difficult and costly for GWCL to treat water for residents.

In February, this year, Management of GWCL threatened to shut down its treatment plant at Dalun if the sand winning activities continued and shortly after this warning, the Operation Vanguard team burnt some 14 tipper trucks of sand winners in the area after they failed to heed to warnings to stop their activities in the area.

Contractors depend on sand from the river side at Nawuni to construct property leading to increased sand winning activities upstream of the river through the use of sophisticated machinery including excavators.

Nana Amoakoh said the country’s water sector faced a lot of challenges, which threatened adequate water supply to citizens emphasising that efforts must be made to protect the river at Nawuni to ensure water supply to the people.

Mr Salifu Saeed, Northern Regional Minister assured that efforts would be made to protect the river to ensure supply of water to residents.