The long-awaited Damongo–Tamale–Yendi Water Supply Project has taken a significant step toward reality. The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has begun stakeholder consultations in the Savannah Region, backed by a €106 million grant from the European Union, the European Investment Bank, and Invest International.
GWCL Managing Director Adam Mutawakilu paid a courtesy call on the Overlord of the Gonja Traditional Area and other chiefs. He told the media that a loan agreement is expected between September and October this year.
The project will deliver 135,000 cubic metres of treated water daily to Tamale, Damongo, Yendi, and communities along the transmission corridor. That's enough to serve hundreds of thousands of people currently facing chronic water shortages.
“Excellency John Dramani Mahama, since he came to office, has promised the people of Damango, Tamale, and Yendi that by the time he leaves office, he wants to ensure that we have clean, potable drinking water,” Mutawakilu said.
He stressed that the consultations are essential for clearing the way for construction. They cover the Environmental Social Impact Assessment, right-of-way issues, and compensation payments to project-affected persons.
“We all know that without payment of compensation to project-affected persons, the smooth flow of work by the contractor will be impeded,” Mutawakilu added. “President Mahama had made it clear that he doesn't want the work to start and halt because of people claiming that they haven't been paid their compensation.”
Mutawakilu disclosed that the Ministry of Finance secured a funding commitment for the project in April. The main construction contract will be awarded through a competitive procurement process once all assessments are complete. He assured that the project wouldn't be sole-sourced.
While preparations for the new system continue, GWCL is simultaneously upgrading existing infrastructure in Tamale. Mutawakilu said spare parts on some treatment plants have been replaced, and water flow has already improved.
“I've signed a contract for the installation of new pumps to replace the old pumps that have been there for a very long time, and also signed a contract for the supply and installation of motors,” he said.
Ageing pipelines across the Tamale metropolis are also being replaced to prevent frequent bursts once the new pumps increase pressure. “So if you still have old pipelines, the likelihood of it bursting is high, and when it bursts, we have high non-revenue water, then we find ourselves denying the good people of Tamale drinking water,” Mutawakilu explained.
Asked when construction would officially begin, Mutawakilu declined to give a date for a sod-cutting ceremony. “It's not necessary to do the sword cutting. It's doing the right thing for the sword to be cut. I'm a politician, and I'm very careful,” he said.
“The moment you see compensation being paid, that means we've cleared all the necessary obstacles to pave the way for the construction. And that is where we can tell you tomorrow, by this, the contractor will be on site.”
The project is expected to take about two and a half years to complete once construction begins. For now, the focus remains on getting the groundwork right — compensation, environmental clearance, and land acquisition — before any shovel hits the ground.