Let’s act decisively on water

On Tuesday, Ghana joined the global community in commemorating World Water Day, highlighting the critical importance of water in our lives.

As we reflect on this year's theme, "Water and Gender," it is clear that access to clean water is not just a basic human right but a matter of justice, dignity and equality.
Ghana has made significant strides in expanding access to potable water, especially in small-town water systems and urban infrastructure rehabilitation.

Official figures indicate that over 87 per cent of the population now has access to safe drinking water, a testament to the government's commitment and collaborative efforts with stakeholders.

However, challenges persist. Water scarcity disproportionately affects women, children and adolescent girls, impacting their health, education, and overall well-being.

In Ghana, women and girls spend a considerable amount of time collecting water, limiting their opportunities for education, economic empowerment and leadership.

It is a fact that there is no substitute for water; the reason water sources need to be protected.

That has, unfortunately, not been the case in the country, and around the world in the past few years.

In Ghana, especially, many of our water sources have either dried up or been polluted through human activities.

Illegal mining, otherwise known as galamsey, deserves special mention for being the single most indulged-in activity that has silted and polluted most of the country’s river bodies with chemicals and other impurities.

Not even the fight over the past few years by various governments has been able to nip the nefarious activity in the bud, and it is a shame to us all that we have not been able to stop the wanton destruction of our rivers and streams: the sources of potable water.

Statistics show that our rivers – Pra, Ankobra, Birim, Densu, Offin, and Oti – among others, have all been so polluted that it has become very difficult and expensive to treat water from these sources for piping to communities.

The Water Resources Commission (WRC) says each Ghanaian lost about 400 cubic metres (400,000 litres) of water between 2016 and 2025 due to increased water stress experienced by the country.

This must alarm everyone.

Over the period, the WRC said the amount of water per head had dropped from 1,900 cubic metres (1.9 million litres) to 1,500 cubic metres (1.5 million litres).

Experts believe that if the authorities do not act now, we will drop below 1,000 cubic metres per head in the next 10 years, where the government may have to regulate the amount of litres of water one can take in a day.

While we laud the government for the steps it has taken so far to stop the destruction of our water bodies by illegal miners, such as declaring all water bodies security zones and unleashing the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) on illegal miners, which has made some arrests and destroyed some equipment used to pollute the water bodies, we ask that a multi-pronged approach be adopted to control the destructive activities of illegal miners.

We ask that the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) be resourced to join in the fight, and our schoolchildren be educated on the dangers and negative impact of illegal mining in their civic and social studies.

The shutdown of some water treatment plants by the Ghana Water Company Limited due to the pollution of rivers bore ample testimony to the need for prompt action in dealing with the galamsey menace.

The government and stakeholders must prioritise sustainable water management practices, climate resilience, and community engagement. Investing in water infrastructure, promoting efficient water use, and protecting water bodies are crucial steps towards ensuring universal access to safe and sustainable water.

As Ghanaians, we must recognise our shared responsibility to safeguard water resources.

This includes adopting transformative water management practices, supporting initiatives that promote water conservation, and advocating policies that prioritise water security.

Let's reaffirm our commitment to ensuring every Ghanaian has reliable access to safe and sustainable water.

Together, we can make a difference. We must all join in the fight to save our water sources, or else we will die of thirst before we know it.