By Murtala Issah
Some residents of Tamale have staged a demonstration in front of the offices of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) to protest the persistent shortage of water in the Northern Regional capital, describing the situation as a growing public health and socioeconomic emergency.
The demonstrators say the prolonged water crisis is crippling daily life, disrupting livelihoods, and forcing households into unsafe coping mechanisms. Across the Tamale Metropolis and the neighbouring Sagnarigu Municipality, public wash facilities remain locked due to the unavailability of water, worsening sanitation conditions in many communities.
One resident, Abukari, told GBC News that his household has been compelled to resort to open defecation because of the lack of water. He said the situation has stripped families of dignity and exposed them to serious health risks, particularly for children and the elderly.
Management of the Ghana Water Company Limited has attributed the worsening shortages to both environmental degradation and infrastructural constraints. According to the company, human activities along the White Volta River, the main source of raw water for treatment, have significantly reduced the river’s flow.
The Northern Regional Manager of GWCL, Ing. Stephen Amihere Mensah, showed GBC News drone footage revealing extensive sand-winning activities upstream. The footage shows sand winners blocking sections of the river with heaps of sand to facilitate extraction, a practice he says is obstructing water flow and threatening the sustainability of water abstraction for treatment.
Ing. Stephen warned that if these activities continue unchecked, the company may be forced to shut down its treatment operations, a development that could plunge the entire metropolis into a full-blown water emergency.
Beyond environmental degradation, Tamale’s rapid population growth has severely overstretched existing water infrastructure. The current water system was originally designed in 1972 to serve a population of about 50,000 people and was only marginally upgraded in 2008. Today, Tamale’s population is estimated at approximately 500,000.
Daily water demand in the metropolis now stands at about 100,000 cubic metres, while GWCL’s current supply capacity is about a third of the volumes required daily.
As a result, the company has introduced rationing. However, the distribution remains uneven. While communities such as Nyerizei, Jisonayili, Gurugu, Kumbunyili, and Malshegu reportedly receive water for at least four days in a week, many other parts of Tamale have gone without piped water for months, and in some cases, years.
For several years, the government has announced plans to construct a new water treatment plant at Yapei to augment supply and address the crisis in Tamale and surrounding areas. Despite repeated assurances, the project has yet to materialise, leaving residents increasingly frustrated.
Compounding the situation is the deterioration of community dams that previously served as alternative sources of water for bathing and washing. Due to human activities and neglect, several dams, including the Bulpiela and Nyohini dams, have nearly dried up, further limiting options for residents.
Health experts warn that the combination of water scarcity, poor sanitation, and open defecation could heighten the risk of disease outbreaks if urgent interventions are not taken.
Residents are therefore calling on government, regulatory agencies, and local authorities to act decisively by enforcing laws against illegal sand winning, fast-tracking the Yapei water treatment project, and investing in modern water infrastructure to meet the needs of Tamale’s rapidly growing population.
