Four-year Water Crisis Deepens Hardship In Agbozume

Residents of Agbozume and surrounding communities in the Ketu South Municipality have endured severe water shortages for about four years, forcing many households to travel to neighbouring towns to buy water for domestic use.

The prolonged crisis has increased the cost of living, as residents often rely on motorised tricycles, popularly known as “Aboboyaa,” to transport water from distant communities.

The shortage is also affecting schools, health facilities and workers who depend on regular access to water to carry out their activities.

Mr Dan Jerry Sorokpo, a citizen of Agbozume, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the situation had become a major hardship for residents. He appealed to the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) to urgently engage the community on efforts to restore the water supply.

According to Mr Sorokpo, the Agbozume Community Borehole, which was constructed by a corporate organisation and later handed over to community stakeholders for management by the GWCL, collapsed in mid-2023 following heavy rainfall and flooding.

The collapse brought the Agbozume Water System to a halt, leaving residents without a reliable public water supply.

Mr Sorokpo said the GWCL subsequently drilled several new boreholes in mid-2024 to address the situation. However, he said the effort had not yet resulted in the restoration of regular water supply.

He expressed concern over the lack of official communication from the Company regarding the current status of the water system and the challenges delaying its restoration.

Rising Cost of Water

Mr Sorokpo said residents were now spending significant amounts of money to purchase and transport water from other communities, placing additional financial pressure on households.

He said the situation was particularly challenging for clinics, Community Health Centres and schools, where water was essential for sanitation and the effective delivery of services.

The shortage, he added, was also affecting workers in the town, with some reportedly seeking transfers because of the difficulty in accessing water.

Call for Stakeholder Engagement

Mr Sorokpo has petitioned the Volta Regional Manager of the GWCL to organise a stakeholder town hall meeting involving customers, traditional leaders, workers and residents of Agbozume.

He said the meeting would provide an opportunity for the GWCL to brief the community on the current status of the water system, challenges affecting its restoration and the way forward.

According to him, such an engagement would also help restore confidence among residents and provide clarity on measures being taken to resolve the prolonged water crisis.

Copies of the petition were sent to the Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs; the Managing Director of the GWCL; the GWCL Manager at Aflao/Agbozume; the Volta Regional Minister; the Municipal Chief Executive of Ketu South; and Torgbiga Adamah III, President and Paramount Chief of the Some Traditional Council.

Source: GNA