A 50-year-old businessman, Ibrahim Baako Alhassan, has been convicted by the Tamale Circuit Court for illegally installing in-line water pumps—devices used to boost water flow—on the Ghana Water Limited (GWL) service pipeline.
The court, presided over by His Honour Francis Asobayire Ayamwune, on Tuesday found Mr Alhassan guilty on two counts: illegal use of an in-line pump, contrary to Section 50(c) of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) Regulations, 2020 (L.I. 2413), and obstruction of public officers in the execution of their duties.
He was fined GH¢3,600 or, in default, will serve a 12-month custodial sentence. The court also directed him to sign a bond to be of good behaviour. His wife was cautioned for allegedly obstructing GWL officials during the exercise.
Background
According to the prosecution, on February 22, 2025, Ghana Water Limited received a complaint from residents of Sakasaka, a suburb of Tamale, that although water was flowing through the network, most households were not receiving any supply.
However, one individual was reportedly accessing and selling water to residents.
Upon investigation, GWL’s Loss Control Team discovered that the accused had installed an in-line pump at his residence, drawing excessive volumes of water and significantly reducing pressure within the distribution system. This deprived neighbouring households of access to water.
The team immediately disconnected the illegal installation, and the convict was fined—a penalty he promptly paid.
The prosecution added that on 2 May 2025, during a routine inspection, the Loss Control Team found that Mr Alhassan had reconnected the in-line pump to the pipeline. He is said to have obstructed GWL officers from accessing the installation, prompting the team to request police intervention.
Subsequent inspections on 5 and 6 May 2025 led to the retrieval of three pumps from the convict’s premises—two of which were found to be illegally installed on the GWL network.
Following this, water supply to the premises was disconnected, and Mr Alhassan was surcharged GH¢7,694.80 as a penalty and for arrears.
GWL Reaction
Reacting to the ruling, the Northern Regional Chief Manager of Ghana Water Limited, Mr Stephen Amihere-Mensah, expressed satisfaction with the outcome, saying it would serve as a deterrent to others who engage in similar unlawful activities.
“This is not just a violation of regulations—it is a national security threat. Many individuals are tapping water illegally and selling it, thereby depriving others of this essential service. It also contravenes the PURC Act,” he stated.
He urged the public to desist from illegal connections and to support GWL’s efforts to provide a reliable water supply to all residents.
