The Western Regional Minister, Joseph Nelson, has ordered an immediate halt to ongoing land encroachment on Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) property at the Daboase water treatment facility in the Wassa East District. During a familiarization visit to the site, the Minister issued a strong warning, describing the encroachment as illegal and dangerous to the region’s water security.
“This is a major national investment. Encroachment on this land must stop immediately,” the Minister stated. “If these activities continue, the law will take its course.”
The Minister directed GWCL to urgently demarcate buffer zones around the water treatment plant and install signposts warning the public that the area is restricted. He also called on the District Chief Executive to engage local chiefs to ensure no further human activity takes place in the protected zones. Some chiefs claim ignorance about the restricted status of the land, saying they were unaware of the boundaries.
The encroachment comes at a critical time when Austrian construction firm Strabag is executing a €70 million water expansion project at Daboase. Once completed, the project will supply 22 million gallons of water daily to Sekondi-Takoradi and its surrounding communities.
“We will not allow this project to suffer. These illegal activities threaten the entire water supply system,” the Minister warned.
Officials at GWCL have expressed serious concerns about the environmental impact of the encroachment. Gideon Asare Annor, Western Regional Manager in charge of production, noted that buffer zones have been completely overtaken by illegal developments.
“If this continues, the river could dry up during the dry season, making the new 22-million-gallon-per-day facility useless,” he cautioned.
Erosion, climate change, illegal mining, and farming activities have increased water turbidity, reducing the current Daboase plant’s output from six million gallons per day to just over 16,000 gallons.
The Daboase water facility, built in the 1960s, has struggled to meet growing water demands. The new project, set to be completed by November 7, 2025, is designed to close the supply gap. However, continued human activity around the site could undermine this crucial investment.
“We are working on the high-lift pumping station and final structures. If protected, the plant will serve the entire metropolis efficiently,” said Vlad Falup, Project Manager at Strabag.
With rising demand for clean water in Sekondi-Takoradi and its environs, the Minister’s directive highlights the urgent need to safeguard public infrastructure and protect Ghana’s critical water resources.