The Volta Regional Minister, James Gunu, has announced that expanding Ho’s water supply infrastructure is projected to cost approximately $52 million, based on estimates from the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL).
During an interview on PM Express on JoyNews, Mr. Gunu underlined the necessity of implementing a long-term solution to address the city’s water shortages.
He acknowledged the hefty price tag but stressed that the expansion must be tailored to support Ho’s rapidly increasing population.
“In actual fact from the report that I stormed it is about 52 million dollars. That is a report from the Ghana Water Company but I told them we need to sit down and evaluate this properly because the expansion should be able to take care of the growing populace because we don’t want to do something whereby in the next 10 or 20 years we will face the same challenge.
“In 1992/1993, when this facility was constructed, Ho had a population of about 5,000 but today, it is over 250,000, and the demand is over 30,000 meters. If we are planning for the future, we must consider a population of over 500,000,” he said.
He highlighted that Ho’s growing population, fueled by an increase in universities, educational institutions, and other developments, underscores the need for a sustainable water supply system.
Acknowledging the high cost, Mr. Gunu expressed hope that international funding would be secured to support the expansion.
He stressed the importance of meticulous planning to prevent future water shortages and to fulfill the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 6, which aims for universal access to clean water and sanitation.
“It is very expensive but we hope that other donor partners will come in, and let’s see whether we can get some grants to enable the Ghana Water Company to expand this facility so that we can have a sustainable supply of water to serve the growing population of Ho and its environs.
The technical experts in charge must help the government expand this facility so we can ensure a sustainable water supply for Ho and its surrounding areas,” he added.
In January, there were multiple instances of system failures, with the latest one stretching over a week. What began as sporadic pump malfunctions late last year has now escalated to a full shutdown.
The sole working pump at the intake station of the Ghana Water Company Limited’s Kpeve headworks in the South Dayi District has broken down beyond repair.
This pump is one of three that have become outdated after more than 30 years of service. At present, there are no functional pumps available at the intake station to draw water from the Volta River, which is then processed at the Kpeve plant and distributed to over 100,000 residents in the affected areas.
Water crisis: Cost of expanding water pump will be about 52 million dollars – James Gunu, Volta Regional Minister.#PMExpress pic.twitter.com/WozHdxYpgP
— JoyNews (@JoyNewsOnTV) February 5, 2025