2026 Budget: Gov’t to construct new water treatment plants in northern Ghana

The Government is to launch an ambitious “Water for All” programme aimed at guaranteeing universal access to clean and safe drinking water across the country.

This drive begins with the construction of major treatment plants in the Northern and Savannah regions.

Presenting the 2026 Budget Statement and Economic Policy to Parliament on Thursday, November 13, 2025, Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson said the initiative reflects President John Dramani Mahama’s vision of equitable development that leaves no community behind.

“Access to clean water and safe sanitation is not just infrastructure — it is a foundation of dignity, public health, and national resilience,” Dr. Forson told the House. “This government will ensure that every Ghanaian, regardless of location or status, has reliable access to safe drinking water.”

According to the Minister, the government will in 2026 commence the construction of new water treatment plants in Damongo, Tamale, and Yendi, which will double treatment capacity in the Northern and Savannah regions and supply about one million residents with potable water.

The projects form part of a broader national water agenda that also includes ongoing works on the Sekondi–Takoradi and Sunyani Water Supply Systems, targeting an additional 1.2 million beneficiaries nationwide.

Dr. Forson noted that rural water coverage now stands at 78 percent and urban supply at 93 percent, thanks to 410 new boreholes and 37 small-town water systems completed in 2025 under the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA). The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), he added, currently produces about 351 million gallons daily, supported by rehabilitation works at the Kpong and Weija Treatment Plants.

The Finance Minister said the government’s investments in water infrastructure are central to its “Resetting for Growth, Jobs, and Economic Transformation” agenda, arguing that improved water access will boost productivity, reduce disease, and enhance human dignity.

If fully implemented, the “Water for All” initiative will move Ghana closer to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 — clean water and sanitation for all — while reinforcing water as a driver of public health, equity, and national transformation.

Meanwhile, the Tamale Metropolis and Yendi Municipality have been experiencing perennial water crises in recent years, underscoring the urgency of the government’s new intervention. The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) revealed that Tamale is currently facing a daily water deficit of about 55,000 cubic metres.

According to the Northern Regional Manager of GWCL, Stephen Amhere Mensah, the Dalun Water Treatment Plant currently pumps around 35,000 cubic metres of water daily, while demand in Tamale alone stands at 90,000 cubic metres, creating a wide gap between supply and demand.

The Parliamentary Select Committee on Sanitation and Water Resources recently visited the Dalun facility to assess the situation following persistent complaints by residents of Tamale and its environs over erratic water supply. During the visit, the committee observed the severe operational constraints faced by GWCL in meeting the growing water needs of residents.