Mr Adam Mutawakilu, the Managing Director of GWL, speaking at the inauguration ceremony in Accra on Wednesday said the deployment marked a major step in the company’s strategy to strengthen field operations and deepen its digital transformation agenda. He said the newly recruited personnel had undergone specialised training to prepare them for assignments focused on arrears reduction, customer education on electronic payment systems, detection of illegal connections and community engagement. The MD disclosed that as of December 31, 2025, the company’s total arrears stood at GH¢866 million, with about GH¢551 million, representing 63 per cent, traced to the Accra-Tema Metropolitan Area (ATMA), hence the decision to concentrate the initiative in the capital and surrounding districts. Mr Mutawakilu said the personnel had been equipped with tablets to geolocate customers and track their activities, stressing that they would be assessed based on performance and adherence to professional conduct. He added that GWL was working with national security agencies to monitor activities in the field and warned that misconduct, extortion or falsification of reports would attract immediate dismissal and reporting to the National Service Secretariat. 

The MD urged the personnel to act as ambassadors of the company and contribute to delivering safe, reliable and sustainable water services. Mr Mutawakilu indicated that the deployment of the field agents would help deepen public education, enhance monitoring and strengthen collaboration with communities. Mr Lucas Amewudah, General Manager in charge of Finance and Administration, said the initiative formed part of broader reforms approved by the Board and Management to tackle mounting arrears and halt revenue losses. He said the company decided to leverage National Service Personnel after extensive training to support recovery efforts and increase digital payment penetration, which currently stood at about 32.6 per cent. 

Mr Amewudah explained that the ATMA region was prioritised because it accounted for about 63.7 per cent of total arrears, adding that arrears growth in the region had reached about five per cent, above the global rate of 4.1 per cent. He expressed optimism that focusing resources in the region would produce national impact and help resolve the arrears challenge. 

Mr Seth Eric Atiapah, Chief Manager for Special Duties on Arrears, said the newly trained personnel would henceforth be referred to as GWL Field Agents to reflect their frontline role. He explained that the agents would be easily identifiable through branded Ghana Water T-shirts, reflective vests and official identification cards bearing their names and contact details to help the public distinguish genuine staff from impostors. He said the visibility was intended to build trust and protect customers from fraud while enabling the agents to carry out their assignments effectively. 

Mr Timothy Nyame, General Secretary of the Public Utilities Workers Union (PUWU), expressed the union’s full support for the initiative, noting that the success of GWL depended largely on revenue recovery and customer compliance. He said water tariffs remained relatively low and urged customers to settle outstanding bills promptly to prevent accumulation. 

The PUWU General Secretary encouraged the field agents to remain firm, diligent and professional while educating customers on digital payment platforms, stressing that the future sustainability of the company depended on collective effort. Mr Daniel Asseh Allan, Principal Technical Manager for Water at the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), commended GWL for the initiative and emphasised the role of the public as partners in protecting water infrastructure and reducing non-revenue water. 

He urged the field agents and the media to intensify public education on reporting burst pipes, faulty meters and illegal activities, noting that early reporting reduces water losses and improves service delivery. Sharonsky Adama-Tettey and Nelly Abuako Otchere, two of the newly deployed field agents told the Ghana News Agency in separate interviews that they were motivated to contribute to the company’s revenue recovery and customer education drive. Ms Adam-Tettey said the training had equipped her with the skills to engage communities professionally and build trust and that she was particularly eager to support the promotion of digital payment channels and help customers understand their bills to reduce the accumulation of arrears.