Tamale Residents Protest Severe Water Shortages, Demand Urgent Government Action

Frustrated residents of Tamale have staged a demonstration in front of the offices of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) to protest what they describe as a persistent and worsening water crisis in the Northern Regional capital. 

The demonstrators say the prolonged shortages have crippled daily life, disrupted livelihoods, and forced many households into unsafe coping mechanisms. Communities across the Tamale Metropolis and the neighbouring Sagnarigu Municipality are facing severe sanitation challenges, with several public washrooms locked due to the lack of water supply. 

One resident, Mr. Abukari, according to  GBC News, reported  that his family has been forced to 

resort to open defecation, describing the situation as humiliating and dangerous. 

“We have lost our dignity. Children and the elderly are suffering the most. The health risks are enormous,” he said. 

The GWCL has attributed the worsening water shortages to environmental degradation and infrastructure constraints. According to the Northern Regional Manager, Ing. Stephen Amihere Mensah, human activities along the White Volta River, the main source of raw water for treatment, have drastically reduced its flow. 

footage shared with the media revealed extensive sand-winning activities upstream, with contractors reportedly blocking sections of the river to extract sand. 

“These illegal operations are obstructing water flow and threatening the sustainability of our treatment systems. If they continue unchecked, we may be forced to shut down,” Ing. Mensah warned. 

Tamale’s rapid population growth has further strained the city’s outdated water infrastructure. Originally designed in 1972 to serve about 50,000 people, the current system now struggles to meet the needs of nearly 500,000 residents. 

While daily water demand is estimated at 100,000 cubic metres, the GWCL can supply only one-third of that volume, leading to widespread rationing. Some communities, including Nyerizei, Jisonayili, Gurugu, Kumbunyili, and Malshegu, receive water for up to four days a week, but many others have gone months and in some cases years without access to piped water. 

Although successive governments have announced plans to construct a new water treatment plant at Yapei to increase supply, residents say they have seen little progress. The failure to deliver on these promises, they say, has deepened their frustration. 

Several community dams that once served as alternative water sources, such as the Bulpiela and Nyohini dams, are now in deplorable condition, dried up due to neglect and unsustainable human activities. 

Health experts are warning that the combination of water scarcity, poor sanitation, and open defecation could trigger outbreaks of waterborne diseases if urgent action is not taken. 

The protesters have therefore called on the government, regulatory agencies, and local authorities to: 

• Enforce laws against illegal sand-winning, 
• Fast-track construction of the Yapei water treatment plant, and 
• Invest in modern water infrastructure to meet the needs of Tamale’s rapidly growing population.

For many, the message from Tamale is urgent and united. Water access is a basic right, not a privilege.