GWCL takes steps to resolve Tamale, Yendi water crisis

The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has moved in to resolve the prevailing water crisis in Tamale and Yendi in the Northern Region. 

The GWCL’s plan is to drill and mechanise several boreholes to augment the water supply to residents in the area.

Consequently, the company is to replace all its treatment machines as well as dredge the River Dakar, the main source of water for Yendi and its environs.

The move is a stopgap measure to boost water supply to the residents following delays in the commencement of work on the water expansion projects in Tamale and Yendi.

The Managing Director of the GWCL, Dr Clifford Braimah, who announced this after he led a team of engineers and contractors to assess the situation, said the immediate but temporary solution would involve drilling the mechanised boreholes and connecting them to the main system to provide a steady water supply, particularly to the most-hit areas.

He said the contractors had already moved to the site to commence work and they were expected to complete work in the next few months.

Situation

The Tamale Metropolis and Yendi Municipality have been experiencing perennial water crises for the past years.

The recurrent situation has partly been attributed to increasing activities of sand-winning and other human activities at the water treatment plant at Dalun, and River Dakar, coupled with the growing population of the towns.

The dire situation has compelled some of the people to compete with animals for untreated water from nearby dams and dugouts.

River Dakar, the main source of water for Yendi fast drying up

In July 2020, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo cut the sod for expansion works on the Tamale and Yendi water projects.

The $223,287,979.56 Tamale water supply facility funded by the UK Export Finance and the Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch, was expected to produce 29.7 million gallons of water per day.

The Yendi Water Supply Project being financed by a $30 million facility from the India Exim Bank, on the other hand, is aimed at providing the people of the Yendi Municipality and its environs with 15,000 cubic metres of water daily to meet the water demand of the area.

However, four years down the lane, the projects are yet to commence.

Challenges

Explaining the cause of the delays in the commencement of the projects, Dr Braimah said “The government planned to expand the Tamale and Yendi water projects through the two loan facilities but as you may all be aware, Ghana is facing a financial crisis and running a debt exchange programme with the IMF, so these banks will have to consider their risk factors before making any disbursements.

That is what has brought us to this state on the water projects," he further explained.” 

Even as the government awaits clearance from the banks to commence work on the projects, he indicated that the GWCL was also doing its bit to find a temporary solution to the situation.

He, however, appealed to traditional authorities and assembly members to deal with issues of sand-winning and illegal connection which were hampering the company's operations.

As part of the tour, the team paid a courtesy call on the Overlord of Dagbon, Ya-Na Abukari II and the Paramount Chief of the Kpembe Traditional Area, Kpembewura Banbagne Ndefeso IV, at their palaces to brief them on interventions taken by the company to improve water supply.

The Ya-Na told the GWCL, “I have always cried to the President on the water challenge in the Kingdom, but since you are in charge of water in the country, then I want to tell you that I will support you and your office to address the challenge, but you have to show more commitment since you are the mandatory body to give us good water."

Salaga Water Project

Salaga and its surrounding areas in the East Gonja Municipality in the Savannah Region also used to battle serious water crises.

However, for the past six years, the situation has improved following the upgrading of a community water system by the GWCL to expand the water supply.

Kpembewura Ndefeso IV said, “We grew up to witness a serious water crisis in this traditional area, but thanks to the GWCL, we get water flowing through our taps at least once a week.

Writer's email: mohammed.fugu@graphic.com.gh