An environmental scientist, Professor Chris Gordon, has attributed the persistent water shortages affecting parts of Accra to wasteful water consumption practices by Ghanaians.
His comments follow growing concerns from residents in urban communities, including Spintex Batsona, Teshie, and Nungua, over limited access to piped water, forcing many to rely on private water vendors who sell at high prices.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Thursday, January 8, 2026, Prof Gordon said poor water conservation habits were significantly worsening the situation.
“The way we consume and waste water is incredible. When you look at our washing bays, they are major culprits. When you look at the number of cars on our roads, they have increased exponentially. These are major contributors to the water woes,” he said.
He explained that although commercial washing bays were not permitted to use potable water, many continued to do so, placing additional strain on already limited water supplies.
“So, the point around that is that we waste water; we do not conserve water. The little ones we have, we do not conserve them,” he added.
Beyond wasteful consumption, Prof Gordon also raised concerns about economic interests sustaining the water crisis, suggesting that some individuals benefit financially from the shortages.
“Another challenge is that you get the issue where people always follow the money. There is a crisis, yet people are benefiting from it and making sure that the status quo is not improved because they benefit out of pocket,” he said.
He questioned who stood to gain from the inability of Ghana Water Limited to supply water consistently to all residents.
“Following that, who is benefiting from the fact that GWL cannot provide water to every citizen of Ghana?” he asked.
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