The Rural Education and Development Programme (REDEP), a non-governmental organisation, has organised a three-day workshop on the maintenance of boreholes to ensure their long lifespan.

The workshop organised in collaboration with US based Nyarkoa Foundation at Enyan-Abaasa, in the Central Region, attracted 28 women from 14 communities.

The communities are Afranse, Atwereboanda, Awordo, Badukrom, Bekoso, Budukwaa and Edwumaim.

The rest are Enyan-Kokodo, Etsii Abeka, Etsii Sonkwaa, Eyiakrom, Mobofranfadwen, Ofosu and Ogoekrom.

Mr James K. Addo, Executive Director of REDEP told Ghana News Agency that the NGO has spent more than ,000 in the mechanisation of three boreholes at Enyan-Abaasa Health Centre, Mando Senior High School and Nkwantanum Health Centre.

REDEP provides educational programmes about health and trains water and sanitation committees to raise internally generated revenues with banking facilities to support community programmes and repair works.

He said the programme was arrived at after a long and a careful study by REDEP and with recommendations by UNICEF that women could be reliable pump caretakers and should be trained to carry out the assignments.

Madam Phyllis Annan, an Environmentalist charged the participants to maintain a clean environment to prevent water-borne diseases like diarrhoeal, guinea worm, bilharzia and cholera.

She said people who contract cholera should be rushed to hospital for urgent medical attention.

Madam Annan asked the people to wash their hands with running water and soap after visiting the toilet.

A representative of the Nyarkoa Foundation from Alaska, Ms Josephine-Mary Sam advised the trainees to be good ambassadors of the project.

GNA