President John Mahama has directed the Minister of Finance, the Attorney General, and Ghana Water Limited (GWL) to begin negotiations with shareholders of the desalination plant. The move seeks to resolve the impasse and restore water supply to affected communities.

According to the Managing Director of GWL  Adam Mutawakilu the directive follows mounting complaints from residents who have endured irregular water supply due to the plant’s shutdown.

“His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama has directed that the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Ghana Water Limited, and the shareholders of the desalination plant engage for an amicable solution. On Wednesday, we held the first round of negotiations and will meet again on February 19.

“We are pushing hard to resolve this once and for all, so the plant can resume operations and supply water to Teshie, Nungua, Sakumono, Spintex, La Dadekotokpon, and surrounding areas,” Mutawakilu said.

For months, lives have been disrupted, school attendance affected, businesses near collapse, and households forced to ration water. Many residents in Teshie and nearby communities have relied on sachet water and tankers to meet daily needs.

The desalination plant, built to serve Tema, Sakumono, Spintex, Teshie, and surrounding areas, was shut down amid unresolved contractual disputes and poor maintenance.

At the launch of GWL’s revenue arrears reduction and electronic payment campaign, 200 National Service personnel were introduced as field agents to educate customers on digital payment options. The initiative aims to reduce arrears and improve compliance. Mutawakilu disclosed that outstanding arrears stand at GHC866 million, with GHC551 million traced to Accra and Tema, representing 66 percent of the total. He noted that unpaid bills continue to weaken GWL’s cash flow.

“We engaged National Service personnel to focus on arrears collection while ensuring districts do not accumulate new debts. Month by month, arrears are dropping, but we must recover what has already been accumulated,” he said.

He urged field agents to exercise restraint when dealing with customers and to disengage if confronted with hostility.

“If a customer is violent, don’t resist. Walk away and report to the district. Do not escalate the situation,” he advised.

The public is encouraged to identify personnel by their branded GWL T-shirts and vests and provide relevant information when approached.