Mahama directs urgent resolution of Teshie desalination plant challenges

President John Dramani Mahama has instructed the Ministers of Finance, Works and Housing, and the Attorney General to urgently intervene in the stalled operations of the Teshie Desalination Plant, signaling the government is pushing to restore water to affected coastal communities in Greater Accra.

During an inspection of the facility on Wednesday, March 11, the Minister for Works and Housing, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, said the President wants the three ministries to work in close coordination to overcome the challenges that have left the plant non-operational for months.

“The President has directed me [Works and Housing Minister], the Finance Minister and the Attorney General to ensure that we get the Teshie Desalination Plant issue resolved. Consultations are ongoing. The owners of the plant were in town, we met them, and negotiations are still underway. Very soon, we will conclude the discussions and ensure the plant resumes operations,” Mr. Adjei emphasized.

He noted the strain the shutdown has placed on communities that depend on the plant’s output.

“We are seriously working on the Teshie Desalination Plant. It is one headache we have as a country. We continue to plead with residents in Teshie, Nungua and surrounding areas. We know it is also affecting people in Prampram, and I have directed Ghana Water Company Limited to ensure the issue is resolved,” he added.

The facility, which treats seawater to provide safe drinking water, was closed in October 2025 following unresolved contractual disputes with the operators and concerns about insufficient maintenance. Ghana Water Company Limited explained that suspending operations was necessary to protect the plant and avoid further complications.

Since then, water shortages have worsened across several communities, including Teshie, Nungua, Baatsona, Spintex, Sakumono, La, and their environs, affecting thousands of residents who rely on the plant’s daily output.

Originally commissioned in 2015, the Teshie-Nungua Desalination Plant was built to deliver around 13 million gallons of treated water each day, reaching roughly 500,000 people across the coastal belt. The $126 million project was executed with technical support from Abengoa Water and Sojitz Corporation, and formally inaugurated on April 17, 2015, by the then-President of Ghana.

Officials say that with the ongoing negotiations and coordinated efforts of the three ministries, water supply from the plant is expected to resume soon, offering relief to residents who have endured months of shortages.