Managing Director of Ghana Water Limited (GWL), Adam Mutawakilu
The Managing Director of Ghana Water Limited (GWL), Adam Mutawakilu, has revealed that replacing Ghana’s ageing water transmission pipelines would cost more than GH¢3.5 billion (US$356 million), a figure he says is far beyond the company’s current financial capacity.
Speaking on Joy FM, Mutawakilu explained that many of the country’s major transmission lines are old, weak and operating below capacity, making effective water distribution increasingly difficult.
“Most of this transmission capacity utilisation is low. Most of the transmission lines are weak and need to be replaced, and that is a huge cost.
“We are talking about $356 million to replace the old pipes and put in new pipes; that’s more than GH¢3.5 billion,” he stated.
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According to him, GWL’s annual revenue is nowhere near enough to fund such a major overhaul.
“For example, we make almost GH¢1.8 billion, that’s about 100 to 150 million dollars for the whole year. This is the whole amount, not taking salaries or maintenance into account, So, if you take it, you realise that we are not in good shape,” he added.
His comments come at a time when residents in Accra and parts of the Greater Accra Region continue to grapple with recurring water shortages.
Mutawakilu noted that ageing treatment plants, deteriorating pipelines and limited revenue are making it difficult for the utility to keep up with growing demand.
“The problem is not just the number of plants; it’s the transmission lines connecting them, Without replacing these old pipelines, a lot of water is lost, and supply remains inconsistent, especially in urban areas,” he stated.
He urged policymakers to prioritise investment in water infrastructure to prevent the situation from worsening.
“Water is essential for life and development, We must match infrastructure investment with our population growth, or these challenges will continue to escalate,” he said.
NA/AE
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Source:
www.ghanaweb.com