Residents of Ho, a rapidly growing metropolis with a population nearing 300,000, are grappling with a severe water shortage following what was initially announced as brief maintenance work at the Kpeve water head. The Ho water shortage crisis has intensified the struggles of daily life.
The maintenance has now extended beyond two weeks, leaving households, businesses, and institutions in distress. A visit to affected areas revealed long queues at boreholes, cisterns, and other alternative water sources as sanitation in the city deteriorates due to the Ho water shortage crisis.
The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) resumed pumping briefly last week but was forced to halt operations again after a pump shaft at the Kpeve Headworks broke down. This setback has left only a fraction of the metropolis with water during the short window of supply.
Critical facilities such as the Ho Teaching Hospital, tertiary institutions, and water-dependent businesses are struggling to operate amid the Ho water shortage crisis. While GWCL stated in a press release that its emergency response team is working tirelessly to resolve the issue, repairs could take weeks, further compounding the crisis. The prolonged water scarcity has sparked public outcry, with residents and advocacy groups criticizing stakeholders for not addressing the city’s water supply challenges.
The Volta Development Forum (VDF), a regional advocacy group, highlighted these concerns in October 2023 and reiterated the urgent need for expanded water infrastructure in Ho. According to Daniel Agboka Dzegede, Executive Director of the VDF, the crisis is imposing significant financial and health burdens on residents.
“Many are now forced to rely on unclean water sources, leading to potential health risks. Others are spending significant amounts on tanker water supplies, further straining household budgets. This situation is unacceptable and undermines the socio-economic livelihoods of the people,” he said.
The VDF has called on the government and GWCL to prioritize investments in water supply infrastructure and ensure immediate interventions to restore water access in Ho. The group has also labeled the continued Ho water shortage crisis as “inhumane,” urging stakeholders to act swiftly to alleviate the suffering of residents.
As the crisis persists, questions are being raised about the long-term resilience of Ho’s water infrastructure and the capacity of responsible entities to meet the demands of a growing population.
