The Ghana Water Limited (GWL) has refuted claims made by the Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, regarding a widespread water shortage affecting over 140,000 customers in the Effutu Municipality. Mr. Afenyo-Markin’s petition to GWL on August 21st asserted that a two-week water outage had caused significant hardship for residents, impacting households, schools, hospitals, businesses, and particularly vulnerable groups like children and the elderly. GWL’s Managing Director, Mutawakilu Adam, countered these claims during a media briefing at the Winneba Headworks on September 1st, stating that Mr. Afenyo-Markin’s assertions lacked factual basis.
Mr. Adam emphasized that the Winneba Headworks, responsible for supplying water to the Effutu Municipality, had maintained consistent production of 9,700 cubic liters of water and had not experienced any major interruptions that would justify such a large-scale shortage. He explained that GWL adheres to a strict communication protocol, informing customers of any planned or unplanned shutdowns, and no such notifications had been issued. He underscored that the data collected by GWL did not corroborate the MP’s claims regarding the extent and duration of the alleged water shortage.
While acknowledging that certain communities had experienced water supply challenges, Mr. Adam attributed these issues to ongoing road construction works in Kasoa and its surrounding areas, clarifying that these localized disruptions were unrelated to the operations of the Winneba Headworks. He highlighted the geographical distinction between Kasoa and Winneba, suggesting that the MP’s claims may have conflated separate incidents. Furthermore, the Managing Director questioned Mr. Afenyo-Markin’s decision to publicize the claims without prior verification, particularly given his previous role as board chairman of GWL. This prior association, according to Mr. Adam, implied a familiarity with GWL’s operating procedures and access to relevant information channels, making the unsubstantiated public statement even more perplexing.
The core of the disagreement lies in the conflicting accounts of the water supply situation in the Effutu Municipality. Mr. Afenyo-Markin’s petition depicted a widespread crisis affecting a substantial portion of the population, painting a picture of hardship and vulnerability due to a prolonged water outage. In contrast, GWL’s response presented a picture of operational normalcy at the Winneba Headworks, attributing any localized disruptions to external factors unrelated to their production capacity. The disparity between these narratives raises questions about the source and accuracy of the information presented by both parties.
GWL’s Managing Director firmly reiterated that the claim of 140,000 affected customers due to a shutdown was unsupported by the facts on the ground. He challenged the accuracy of the MP’s figures and questioned the methodology used to arrive at such a conclusion. The public contradiction between a prominent political figure and a key utility provider has created a situation demanding further clarification and potentially an independent assessment of the water supply situation in the affected areas. Resolving this discrepancy is crucial to addressing the underlying concerns of the residents and ensuring access to essential water services.
The conflicting narratives underscore the importance of transparent communication and accurate data in addressing public concerns about essential services. While Mr. Afenyo-Markin’s advocacy for his constituents is understandable, GWL’s insistence on data-driven responses highlights the need for verifiable information to inform public discourse and policy decisions. This situation calls for a thorough investigation to determine the true extent of the water supply challenges in the Effutu Municipality and to address the root causes of any existing issues. Such an investigation should involve community representatives, independent experts, and both GWL and local authorities to ensure a comprehensive and unbiased assessment of the situation.
