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The Minister for Works and Housing, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, has revealed that despite progress in expanding access to basic water services, less than half of Ghana’s population benefits from safely managed water sources.
According to data from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) and the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP), while about 88% of the population has access to basic water services, only 44% enjoy safely managed water services, defined as an improved water source that is on-premises, available when needed, and free from contamination.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series in Accra, Mr. Adjei highlighted significant disparities in water access between urban and rural communities. Urban water access stands at about 96%, compared to an average of 74% in rural areas, with some regions experiencing access rates as low as 42%.
“These figures include communities where service is often intermittent and unreliable,” he added.
The minister pointed to high levels of non-revenue water, estimated at 50%, double the international benchmark of 25%, as a critical challenge facing urban water supply.
This situation undermines efficiency and financial sustainability within the sector. Nearly four million Ghanaians still rely on unimproved, limited, or surface water sources, exposing them to serious health and environmental risks.
Mr. Adjei attributed the challenges in the water sector to a combination of structural and environmental factors, including aging infrastructure, low investment in maintenance, poor cost recovery mechanisms, high operational costs, pollution of water bodies, and climate-induced variability.
The government remains committed to addressing these challenges through targeted investments, sector reforms, and improved collaboration with development partners to expand access to safe, reliable, and sustainable water services across the country.
