The Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, has inaugurated a newly constituted Board of Directors for the state’s water utility, with a firm charge to transform the agency into a model of efficiency, innovation, and public accountability.

Speaking at a brief ceremony in Accra, Mr. Adjei described the swearing-in of the Board as more than a routine administrative process, calling it a “solemn national obligation” vital to the country’s development agenda and ongoing public sector reforms.

Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources

The newly inaugurated Board is chaired by Mr. Eric J. Biliguo Adama, the President’s nominee, and includes the Acting Managing Director of GWL, Mr. Adam Mutawakilu, along with Dr. Hadisu Alhassan (Worker’s Representative), Prof. Afishata Mohammed Abujaja, Alhaji Abu Mahama, Mr Ibrahim Abdul Jalil, Agbesi Nutsu, Prof. Jasper A. Ayelazuno, and Mr Mathias Kwame Ntow as members.

The Minister reminded the new Board that water was no longer just a social good but a “strategic economic resource” critical to public health, industry, education, and national development.

“Your responsibility involves overseeing the management and strategic direction of an organisation whose success will be evaluated not only through financial performance but also by its impact on lives,” he said.

He outlined several pressing challenges in the urban water sector, including ageing infrastructure, high levels of Non-Revenue Water (NRW), limited capital investment, and poor source water quality.

With Ghana’s urban population exceeding 56% and cities expanding rapidly, the Minister said the demand for clean water services is intensifying, and solutions must be bold and forward-looking.

Mr Adjei urged the Board to move away from “business as usual” and to adopt a culture of professionalism, transparency, and performance excellence.

“You are expected to be architects of transformation. From bureaucratic inertia to dynamic innovation — you must lead with vision, act with integrity, and govern with transparency,” he stated.

He added that the Ministry, in collaboration with the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), would support the Board with clearly defined Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

These, he emphasised, included reducing NRW from the current 50.55% to 30% by 2028, increasing urban water coverage to 95%, and boosting revenue collection efficiency to 98%, with a reduction in the age of arrears to two months.

He cautioned the Board against micromanaging the company, stressing the need for strategic oversight and collaboration with GWL management.

“Let there be mutual respect, alignment in vision, and a shared commitment to service,” he said, emphasising that their potential alone was not enough but must be turned into purposeful action and measurable outcomes.

“You have been entrusted with a sacred national duty. It is time to step forward and make a meaningful impact,” he stated.

Mr. Adjei affirmed that strong leadership was key to effective public administration, urging the new Board to transcend the status quo and set higher standards of governance.

He also reminded the Board that public trust in state institutions was being closely scrutinised, particularly in times of climate change, population growth, and urban expansion.

“Citizens are demanding better value for money, and natural resources such as water are increasingly stressed,” he said.

In that context, he charged the Board to uphold transparency, ethical behaviour, and a results-oriented culture that prioritises the needs of the Ghanaian people.

Mr. Eric J. Biliguo Adama, the newly appointed Board Chairman of GWL, expressed profound gratitude to President John Dramani Mahama for the trust and confidence reposed in him at such a critical moment in the company’s transformation journey.

Mr. Eric J. Biliguo Adama, newly appointed Board Chairman of GWL

He acknowledged the strategic direction outlined by the Minister, particularly on reducing non-revenue water and increasing urban water coverage.

Mr. Adama pledged the Board’s full cooperation in achieving the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) set by the Ministry and SIGA, stressing that the Board would work closely with management to ensure improved operational efficiency, transparency, strategic oversight and service delivery across the country.

“We fully understand the weight of the responsibility placed upon us, and we are determined to work collaboratively with management to deliver tangible results that will improve water access and service delivery for all Ghanaians,” he said.