In a candid address amid Ghana’s ongoing water supply challenges, Municipal Chief Executive Hon. Ing. Paul Afotey Quaye outlined urgent interventions in Krowor Municipal Assembly to ease the crisis affecting over 150,000 residents. Speaking against the backdrop of dry taps and frustrated communities in areas like Nungua, the MCE emphasized short-term relief measures and long-term infrastructure upgrades to build lasting resilience.
Afotey Quaye revealed that the assembly has deployed water tankers across communities, providing essential relief even if supplies fall short of the massive population’s needs. We’re sending tankers directly to the people it’s not enough for everyone, given our over 150,000 residents, but it goes a long way during this crisis,” he stated. These mobile distributions have become a lifeline, with trucks queuing at key spots to fill jerrycans and household containers, offering temporary hydration for cooking, bathing, and daily survival.
However, the MCE stressed that such stopgaps highlight deeper issues with aging infrastructure that past administrations neglected. “Over the years, we could have built resilience for water supply, but key facilities like our water storage tank have been non-functional, he explained. The assembly has repeatedly written to the Ministry of Works and Housing, which acknowledged the pleas, and Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has responded promising repairs. If this had been addressed earlier, today’s crisis might have been avoided, Afotey Quaye noted. He described the facility’s role: it would store water pumped from Accra East, ensuring a buffer for up to two weeks or more during disruptions.
Pointing to GWCL’s premises nearby, the MCE highlighted a visible but underutilized asset a large polytank and underground reservoir. When you visit their site, you’ll see the big polytank and the underground tank sitting idle, he said. “My colleague the MP and I are pushing hard for repairs to get them operational again, so we can store and distribute water reliably.”
Afotey Quaye framed the crisis as a stark wake-up call, albeit one occurring under the current administration. Unfortunately, it’s hit during our tenure, but that means we’re committed to fixing it for community resilience,” he affirmed. He outlined proactive steps, including preparations for when the desalination plant falters again. We’ve started building community storage tanks. Here’s how it works: when water enters the network, residents fill their jerrycans at home, and excess flows into these communal tanks. Once your personal supply runs out, you tap into the community reserve.
These initiatives form a multi-layered strategy: immediate tanker aid prevents health risks like dehydration and disease outbreaks; advocacy accelerates GWCL repairs; and new storage infrastructure safeguards against future shortages from pipe bursts, power failures, or plant downtime.
As dry seasons intensify and urban demand surges in Greater Accra, Afotey Quaye’s interventions underscore a push for self-reliance. All these are the measures we’re putting in place to ensure no crisis leaves our people thirsty, he concluded. With ministerial support and community buy-in, Krowor aims to turn vulnerability into strength, setting an example for water-stressed municipalities nationwide.
Story by: Mercy Addai Turkson