Ghana’s renewable water supply per person is falling at a worrying pace, raising fears of severe water restrictions if urgent interventions are not made.
Dr. Mawuli Lumor, Director of Policy, Planning, Research, Monitoring and Evaluation at the Water Resources Commission (WRC), issued the warning during an interview on The Point of View on Channel One TV on Wednesday, October 1.
Explaining how the Commission tracks water stress, Dr. Lumor said Ghana receives about 53 billion cubic meters of renewable water annually. However, with the country’s growing population, the per capita share continues to shrink.
“In 2016, renewable water available per person was about 1,900 cubic meters. Today, it has dropped to around 1,500,” he noted, adding that this figure even includes polluted water, meaning the actual usable amount is lower.
He stressed that while the overall water supply remains constant, population growth and pollution are steadily reducing what is available to each citizen. “By nature, we are already getting less water, and our activities are further polluting what we have. That means we are moving towards dangerous grounds,” he cautioned.
If the decline continues unchecked, Dr. Lumor warned Ghana could face restrictions similar to those imposed in South Africa a few years ago, where government limited water usage in certain areas to manage shortages.
Source:Africa Publicity
