Residents of Gbawe West in the Weija Gbawe Municipal Assembly have been struggling with a severe water shortage for six months, despite consistently paying their water bills.
Once-reliable taps have gone dry, forcing the community to find alternative sources, such as purchasing water from private suppliers or using boreholes and wells, which come with added costs and challenges.
The ongoing water crisis has disrupted daily life and raised concerns over hygiene and public health. Residents are urging the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) and local authorities to take immediate action to resolve the issue and restore a consistent water supply.
“The situation is appalling. We’ve reported it to the waterworks, but nothing has been done,” said Ernest Esuman, a resident. Comfort Tetteh Wayo, another resident, confirmed that they have had no water flowing through their taps for nearly eight months and have been forced to buy water.
Celina Allotey shared her daily struggle of walking long distances to fetch water, while Frank Asiedu, a 36-year-old with special needs, described the distress of accessing water for sanitation and other essential activities.
Many residents who can afford it buy water from commercial tankers, though this comes at a high cost—several cedis for a single bucket, a financial strain for families already facing rising living expenses. For those who cannot afford tanker services, rainwater harvesting offers an unreliable alternative.
Despite the dry taps, residents continue to receive and pay their monthly water bills. “We pay 140 cedis every week for water from other areas,” said Hassana Yakubu, a resident. “But the water authorities never communicate with us; they just send the bills via WhatsApp, even though there’s no water.”
Comfort Annin, another resident, mentioned that the community relies on borehole water, with one individual, Anointed, purchasing polytanks to store water for the area’s use.
During a visit by Channel One TV, officers from the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) were seen enforcing the payment of water bills in the area.
Nana Kweku Egyir Gyapi III, Akyempemhen Akokobaatan of Ogua, voiced frustration over GWCL’s lack of response to his concerns, threatening a demonstration if the situation remains unresolved.
A foreign resident in the area questioned why access to water, a basic necessity, is still a challenge in the 21st century. The assembly member for Gbawe West also expressed disappointment over the authorities’ inaction despite repeated efforts to seek their intervention.
“As the assembly member for this electoral area, I can attest that the water crisis is dire. For six to seven months, we’ve had no water flowing through our taps. It’s really terrible. For now, aside from advocacy, I’ve sought sponsorship from influential community members to construct boreholes as soon as possible,” Aminatu Issah, Assembly Member, Gbawe West Electoral Area underscored.
Efforts to obtain an official response from the GWCL revealed that a press conference is scheduled for Monday, 2 December, where the issue will be addressed.
