GWLC boss outlines 24-month plan to safeguard Ghana’s Water Sources

The Managing Director of Ghana Water Limited (GWL), Adam Mutawakilu, has announced a detailed two-year plan aimed at protecting Ghana’s major rivers from the destructive effects of illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Monday, October 20, 2025, Mr. Mutawakilu said the initiative forms part of a long-term strategy to secure the nation’s water supply and reduce the rising cost of treating polluted water.

He explained that the plan, dubbed the 24-Month Catchment Recovery Programme, targets eight major river bodies that feed the company’s treatment plants across the country. It will focus on restoring natural ecosystems and preventing further degradation caused by siltation and chemical contamination.

“We propose an upstream solution, a joint 24-month catchment recovery plan focused on eight priority river bodies feeding our plants,” he said. “The plan combines riverbank stabilisation and revegetation at erosion hotspots, targeted, survey-led dredging around intake channels, and coordinated land use compliance and community engagement to protect riparian buffers.”

Mr. Mutawakilu emphasised that the initiative is both environmentally responsible and economically sound, as it seeks to reduce treatment costs and extend the lifespan of key infrastructure.

“While this makes financial sense, targeted upstream action will restore abstraction capacity, reduce treatment challenges, lower specific energy per cubic metre, and extend asset life by cutting corrosive wear,” he explained.

He added that the goal is to move from crisis management to proactive protection of water sources. “In simple terms, we convert recurring emergencies into planned high-yield interventions that stabilise production and bend the unit cost curve back towards baseline,” he said.

The project will be implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, local assemblies, and traditional leaders, with the aim of ensuring long-term water security for millions of Ghanaians.