The Ghana Water Limited (GWL) has announced the arrest of 4,395 people from households and commercial establishments over alleged water theft.
According to the GWL, the arrest forms part of an intensified crackdown on illegal connections and other forms of water theft.
GWL said it had deployed 12 enforcement teams across Accra to identify and apprehend individuals and businesses involved in the illegal diversion of water and other practices that undermine its operations.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, November 10, Ghana Water Limited Chief Manager of Corporate Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Michael Tawiah Klutse, disclosed that the exercise began in August 2025 and had since uncovered thousands of cases.
Michael Tawiah Klutse expressed concern about the growing trend of water theft, adding that the company was intensifying its enforcement efforts to address the practice.
He disclosed that the cases uncovered so far have been referred to court, with prosecutions underway.
Michael Tawiah Klutse stated, “From the time we started this exercise in August 2025 up to date, Bernard, you will be surprised what you’ll see. But we have almost about 4,395 households and establishments”.
Also, Michael Tawiah Klutse has indicated that Ghana Water Limited does not have the capacity to provide a 24-hour water supply to all consumers.
He disclosed that the GWL is currently managing available resources to ensure that communities receive some level of supply.
Michael Tawiah Klutse explained that communities at higher elevations require additional interventions to generate pressure to push water through the distribution network, while communities in lower-lying areas receive water more easily.
He stated, “We don’t have the capacity to serve every single person 24/7 at the moment. What we have is what we are managing for everybody to get something,”
“If an area is a bit at elevations that are higher than our normal flow, we need to put in interventions to be able to build up pressure to those area” he said.
In related water news, Sir Sam Jonah, the Renowned Ghanaian businessman and mining executive, has said galamsey activities are destroying Ghana’s rivers, forests and farmland.
According to Sam Jonah, galamsey activities have turned our rivers into ‘chocolate milk’
He further expressed concern about the deteriorating condition of rivers, forests and farmlands, noting that water bodies that once sustained communities had become heavily polluted by mining activities.
Sir Sam Jonah warned that the consequences of gaamsey extend far beyond environmental degradation to threaten livelihoods, food production, biodiversity and access to safe drinking water.
He cautioned that the pollution of rivers could also increase the burden on water treatment systems and the cost of providing potable water to affected communities.
Speaking at the Methodist University Ghana International Conference 2026 on Thursday, October 15, Sir Sam stated, “Illegal mining, galamsey, is destroying our rivers, our forests and our farmland. Rivers that fed our grandparents now run the colour of chocolate milk”.
Sam Jonah further noted that the crisis is a reflection of the failure of stewardship.
“It is what happens when people gain all they can and forget Wesley’s condition about not hurting their neighbour. But stewardship is not only about the land. It is also about money and talent,” he said.
