Ghana already importing water – WRC’s Director of Planning

​The Director of Planning at the Water Resources Commission, Dr. Bob Alfa says Ghana is already importing water.

Speaking at the Citi TV’s Roundtable Discussion on Galamsey, Mr. Alfa said: “I hear people say all the time that if we don’t take time, we will soon import water. When we say Ghana is importing water, we often look at the physical importation but on the face of it, that is already happening. We are importing labour and tools into our water supply mechanisms.”

“Whatever we consume is produced with water and if you don’t develop your water resources, and then you import some country’s products, what you are importing is what they have done as far as their water development is concerned,” he explained.

He blamed the issue on the country’s lack of investment in its water resources.

“We do not even invest in our water resources, we do not manage our water resources very well.”

The Water Resources Commission (WRC) was established by an Act of Parliament (Act 522 of 1996) with the mandate to regulate and manage Ghana’s Water Resources and coordinate government policies in relation to them.

The Act stipulates that ownership and control of all water resources are vested in the President on behalf of the people, and clearly defines the WRC as the overall body responsible for water resources management in Ghana.

The Commission, which provides a forum for integration and collaboration of different interests, is composed of the major stakeholders involved in the water sector.

The Citi Galamsey Dialogue dubbed “Galamsey and Ghana’s Water Security” aimed at bringing together important stakeholders in the water sector to deliberate on the state of Ghana’s water resources and examine the effects of illegal mining on Ghana’s water security.