The Managing Director of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), Ing. Dr. Clifford Braimah, has acknowledged that the population of Accra has surpassed the company's water supply capacity. This revelation comes amid rising concerns from residents in various Accra communities, including Adenta, Kasoa, Weija, and Apaapa in La, about irregular water supply affecting their daily lives.
Residents have raised complaints about the adverse impact on their communities, leading some to resort to purchasing water from tankers at exorbitant prices. Criticisms have particularly centered around the alleged failure of the GWCL to communicate plans for temporary water supply cuts in specific areas. Some residents have reported experiencing a prolonged absence of water for nearly a year.
Ing. Braimah addressed the issue during an appearance on the Citi Breakfast Show on Monday, January 22, acknowledging the need for the GWCL to upgrade its infrastructure to meet the growing demands of Accra's residents.
He stated, “Already in Accra, the volume of water we produce, the population has outgrown it, and we are looking at putting up a new system at Kpone to boost our production, but resource constraint has been the problem. Since 2017, 2018, we have been working, and we have not settled on finances.”
Ing. Braimah explained that with a limited volume of water entering the system and a burgeoning population, strategic water distribution becomes necessary to meet the demands of the people.
“Already if you have a limited volume of water coming into the system, and your population is big, you have to block them and supply them according to the demands of the people, but you cannot give everybody [water] at the same times; otherwise, some will not get. And so we have been limited for a very long time,” he added.
While acknowledging resource constraints as a significant hurdle, Ing. Braimah also recognized that some reported issues were related to localized faults. He encouraged residents to report such problems to the nearest GWCL office for prompt resolution.
As Accra grapples with water supply challenges, stakeholders await developments in the GWCL's efforts to upgrade its infrastructure and enhance water production to meet the growing needs of the city's expanding population.
