World Water Day, observed annually on March 22, highlights the importance of freshwater and inspires action to tackle the global water crisis. It aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 6—ensuring water and sanitation for all by 2030. Despite being a basic human right, 2.2 billion people worldwide still lack access to safe drinking water, impacting health, education, and livelihoods.
In Ghana, water quality and accessibility remain critical issues. According to the Executive Director of Eco-Conscious Citizens, Awulah Serwah, water is central to climate change adaptation, and prioritizing safe drinking water is essential.
“Water is life, that is why even in war times when you poison the source of water, it deems as a war crime. If water is life, and we are poisoning our water, then that is why we face an existential threat. We will refuse to exist if we continue this way,” she urged
The 2021 Population and Housing Census reports that 87.7% of Ghanaian households have access to basic drinking water services, with urban areas at 96.4% and rural areas at 74.4%. However, intermittent shortages persist across the country. PRO of Ghana Water Company Limited, Stanley Martey, attributes these shortages to dry spells and pressure challenges in the water supply system.
“We are all aware that we are in the dry season, and in the dry season, this challenges are expected. So we envisioned this and we have been working assiduously to ensure that the impact is not felt. We have also identified that it is more serious than before. The Ghana Water Company Limited is doing everything possible to bridge the gab between demand and supply. Ghanaians should desist from misusing water and use it wisely,” he advised.
Beyond shortages, water pollution remains a pressing concern, with illegal mining, chemical fishing, and waste dumping threatening water bodies. On the streets of Accra, citizens are calling on the government to take decisive action, particularly against the galamsey menace.
“This celebration has come at a good time, look at the fact that galamsey is destroying our water bodies. So all stakeholders must come together to fight against the menace. I urged the government to at least look at our water bodies. Per by my own contribution, I think the government is not doing enough. The government should create more jobs to stop the illegal mining. When we pollute the water bodies, it goes to our own detriment,” they called on government.
A UNICEF report highlights further challenges: while water access has improved, 10% of Ghanaians still spend over 30 minutes fetching water, and 11% rely on unsafe sources. Women and children bear the greatest burden in water collection. Alarmingly, only 4% of households treat their drinking water properly. Awulah Serwah warns that these issues pose an existential threat to future generations.
“If this menace continues, it is going to pose as a challenge to the younger ones. So for the young people that are coming, what is going to be their life’s span. Drinking poison water and eating poison food. If we don’t stop this environmental terrorism going on, if we don’t take the necessary step, in ghettos next 5 years, it will be more of us dying of cancer and other kidney diseases,” she cautioned.
Water is life, and as we celebrate another milestone of World Water day today on the theme, “Glacier Preservation,” Ghanaians and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) are coming on government to stop communities mining. As a result, government has banned on community mining, and has also began the process of repealing the L.I that allows mining in our water bodies and forest reserves.
Andy Oppong Dankyi
