Report By: Ishmael Barfi
The Managing Director of Ghana Water Limited (GWL), Adam Mutawakilu, has announced a comprehensive 24-month plan to protect the country’s major rivers from the devastating effects of illegal mining, known as galamsey.
The initiative aims to secure Ghana’s water supply and reduce the rising cost of treating polluted water.
The Managing Director of Ghana Water Limited made this announcement at a presser held on 20th October, 2025 in Accra.
The plan, dubbed the 24-Month Catchment Recovery Programme, targets eight major river bodies that feed GWL’s treatment plants across the country. The program focuses on restoring natural ecosystems and preventing further degradation caused by siltation and chemical contamination.
The key components includes riverbank Stabilization to prevent erosion and reducing siltation, restoration of degraded river catsiltation, restoration of river capacity and improving water flow and coordinated land use compliance and community engagement to promote sustainable land use practices.
Mr. Adam Mutawakilu indicated that, the project will be implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, local assemblies, and traditional leaders. The goal is to ensure long-term water security for millions of Ghanaians.
“The initiative is both environmentally responsible and economically sound, as it seeks to reduce treatment costs and extend the lifespan of key infrastructure. By restoring abstraction capacity, reducing treatment challenges, and lowering specific energy per cubic meter, GWL aims to stabilize production and reduce unit costs”, he reiterated.
Touching on water security, the Managing Director emphasized that the goal is to move from crisis management to proactive protection of water sources, converting recurring emergencies into planned high-yield interventions that stabilize production and bend the unit cost curve back towards baseline.
Source: www.thenewindependentonline.com
