Free water, 24/7 at the ‘Atta-Mills Junction’
By Philip Forson
At the Ofankor old barrier on the Nsawam road, there is a by-pass that leads to Sowutuom linking the western part of Accra. On this link road is a landmark location called the ‘Atta-Mills Junction.’ Typical of Ghanaian way of naming streets, the junction automatically assumed its status in reference to the late President John Evans Atta-Mills’ house located on the edge of the Sowutuom – Ofankor road.
The house is famous not only as belonging to the late president, but for one thing: free water supply to the residents, 24 hours everyday! In Ofankor, just like other suburbs in Accra, to have running water in your home is a privilege, so the gesture of free water is most treasured by the people. I have observed for the past five years of living in the area, how water is being fetched by people from all walks of life at the ‘Atta-Mills Junction.’ For some residents, it is a routine task for them when returning from their work in the evening, will have to park their cars to load gallons of water for household use.
There is always someone fetching water at every hour of the day. So on Christmas Day!
The late president’s house at Ofankor is a known trivial topic of reference in Ghanaian politics. Being curious about the free water supply, I decided to find out the motivation behind the gesture and also to ask few questions about the house and it occupants, which I later found the late law professor visited on only five occasions in his lifetime without spending a night.
After several failed attempts to find someone in the house, I finally met the occupant, Mr. John Ballo, who readily granted an interview knowing my intensions. He has been occupying the building since 2003, when Professor Mills was then the NDC’s flagbearer in opposition.
He gave a brief history of the building that, the project started in 1991 and was left uncompleted until 2003 when he moved in half-completed. “Prof. never lived in this house. He only came here twice on few minutes as President, and on three occasions when he was not a President,” Mr. Ballo recalled.
Mr. John Ballo was Professor Mills’ aide before he became the Head of State. According to him, the late president was concerned about the water situation in Ofankor, as well as the poor roads. It is however, not surprising that when he became President, he delivered his cherished dream to the people.
Three boreholes were constructed under Mr. John Ballo’s supervision. One was built in front of the Ofankor Chief’s Palace. The rest, one near the Ofankor Post Office and the other was built for the Asofah township. The main roads from Sowutuom and Asofah linking the old Ofankor barrier were also constructed for the first time.
Professor Mills, demonstrating his willingness to help the ordinary person through his own means, approved a suggestion to him by Mr. Ballo to extend a standing-pipe from his main house to the outside of the walls to serve the nearby residents and the public. Water in the house, beside household chores, was mainly used in watering the lawn. Professor Mills personally paid for all the plumbing works to extend the pipe outside the house. And ever since, that gesture has become a respite for thousands of residents who would have spent daily money on buying this basic necessity of life.
Front View of the late Professor Mills’ Ofankor house
Mr. Ballo also recounted a cherished moment with Professor Mills as President when the latter had gone to the Pentecost University College at Sowutuom as a guest of honor to the university’s function. The distance between the Pentecost University and the ‘Atta-Mill Junction’ is about five minute-drive.
Ballo jokingly requested from his boss (the President) to pay him a “courtesy call” now that the President was in his ‘territory.’ Professor Mill was said to have laughed over the request. But, unexpected to Ballo, his request was granted. Just after the event at the university, the president’s convoy made it way straight to the ‘Atta-Mill Junction’, marking the last time Professor Mills visited his house.
Mr. Ballo said when the President entered the house, he (Ballo) respectfully asked to take his boss round to see work done on the house. “Oh Ballo, it’s OK, it’s OK,” Professor Mills was said have simply rejected the idea to inspect the conditions of his house.
The late president came out of the house only to inspect the standing pipe, presumably to witness how that little gesture was making in ordinary people’s lives. At that moment, thousands of residents had besieged the front view of the house, knowing that the President of the Republic was in their neighborhood.
Professor Mills went close to the pipe and smiled at it, which Ballo intimated that he gladly realized the deep satisfaction in his boss for the small support to the people. He waved at the crowd and off into his car he went.
Mr. Ballo said water would forever be supplied free to the residents, as long as he continues to pump the underground water, since that was the wish and a cherished gift by the late president to the residents of Ofankor.
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