History Of the Water Resources Commission

Water Resources Commission · Ghana

Our History, Progress & Legacy

From sectoral water reforms in the 1990s to a national institution coordinating the sustainable management of Ghana’s water resources, the Water Resources Commission continues to advance integrated, inclusive and responsible water governance.

Established under Act 522, 1996

Our institutional story

Building a coordinated approach to water management

Water is essential to Ghana’s people, economy and environment. The Water Resources Commission (WRC) was established to provide a coordinated national framework for the regulation, management and sustainable use of the country’s water resources.

This history traces the reforms that led to the Commission’s establishment, its growth through basin-level governance, its achievements, the challenges it continues to address, and its outlook for the future.

01 · Origins

The Genesis

The reforms that highlighted the need for a single institution to coordinate Ghana’s water resources.

Early 1990s

Sector reforms reveal a coordination gap

Following the Economic Recovery Programme (1983–1993), government initiated direct reforms in the water sector to improve efficiency in rural, urban and irrigation water supply, while advancing environmental protection and conservation.

The institutions and agencies that emerged from these reforms—including the Community Water and Sanitation Agency, Ghana Water Company Limited and Ghana Irrigation Development Authority—focused on specific water uses and sectoral interests. Other water-user agencies, including the Volta River Authority, also managed different aspects of the sector.

This arrangement created gaps in coordination and increasingly led to conflicts in institutional mandates and functions. Weaknesses in water data and information added to the challenge. Sector-specific reforms could improve individual subsectors, but could not deliver integrated water resources planning, development and management.

1994

A national coordinating body becomes imperative

By 1994, it was clear that Ghana needed a single body responsible for coordinating, controlling, managing and regulating the nation’s water resources. Water’s status as an essential natural resource, together with Article 269 of the Constitution, supported the need for an institution to regulate and coordinate government policies relating to water resources.

The Water Resources Commission was identified as the body to undertake this responsibility.

02 · Foundation

Establishment

A statutory mandate, representative governance and a Secretariat formed the foundation of the Commission.

1996

Established by law

The WRC was established by an Act of Parliament, the Water Resources Commission Act, 1996 (Act 522). It was passed by the first Parliament of the Fourth Republic and assented to by the President on 30 December 1996.

A representative Commission

The Act vests ownership and control of all water resources in the President on behalf of the people and identifies WRC as the overall body responsible for coordinating, regulating and managing the nation’s water resources. The Commission is governed by 15 members representing major water-sector stakeholders.

1998–99

Governance takes shape

Members of the first Commission were appointed on 21 May 1998 and inaugurated in November that year. The Secretariat began operating in early 1999 with approximately eight staff members.

03 · Development

Evolution

WRC’s formative strategy focused on building a capable, cost-effective organisation and working collaboratively across the water sector.

At the beginning, WRC sought to establish an adequate and cost-effective organisation, develop effective working relationships with water-sector stakeholders, and draw on existing public institutions and the private sector by outsourcing or contracting specific tasks to develop its tools and procedures.

Eight strategic implementation principles

Adopt Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM)—an integrated, cross-sectoral, catchment-area approach to managing and regulating water resources, including internationally shared waters.

Prioritise tasks, beginning with the most important WRC responsibilities.

Secure financial resources so the Commission can carry out its tasks and sustain its activities.

Use existing institutional structures and relevant expertise, especially in water resources planning, to avoid unnecessary duplication.

Pilot procedures, structures and activities at the most appropriate decentralised level of water management: the basin level.

Pilot planning tools with research institutions, using appropriate Decision Support Systems.

Pursue water allocation as a core task, guided by IWRM principles.

Adapt procedures flexibly in response to practical lessons, experience, prevailing priorities and actual conditions.

Vision and mission

In 2006, the Commission set out its vision of achieving “sustainable water management by all for all”. Its mission is to regulate and manage the sustainable utilisation of water resources and coordinate related policies by combining core competencies and hard work through effective participation, monitoring and awareness creation for Ghana’s socio-economic development.

Over time, WRC has continued to pursue its initial strategic goals and implementation principles while working towards its vision and mission. These efforts have supported its evolution from a young institution into a fully functioning organisation.

04 · Decentralised governance

Growth and Expansion

Basin-level governance has been central to WRC’s growth, bringing coordination and planning closer to the country’s water resources and the communities that depend on them.

The River Basin Board (RBB) has evolved as an appropriate institutional governance framework. Eight boards have been systematically established as coordination and planning bodies, with functioning secretariats.

8River Basin Boards established

2004–2022Period of establishment of the listed boards

LocalWater Committees extend participation to sub-basin communities

Densu Basin

Established: 2004

White Volta Basin

Established: 2005

Ankobra Basin

Established: 2008

Dayi Basin

Established: 2010

The Dayi RBB operates administratively through collaboration with the Ghana Water Limited office in the basin.

Pra Basin

Established: 2011

Tano Basin

Established: 2012

Black Volta Basin

Established: 2016

Lower Volta Basin

Established: 2022

The governance process is also being extended to the sub-basin level, beginning with the White Volta and Black Volta basins, through Local Water Committees that engage communities in decision-making.

WRC’s growth has also included recruiting professionals to deliver its mandate at international, national and basin levels. Expertise spans water resources engineering and planning, hydrology and hydrogeology, economics, water quality, ecology, law, information technology, river basin management, public relations and education. These professionals are supported by staff in accounting, procurement, administration and library services.

05 · Impact

Major Achievements

WRC’s achievements span institutional development, regulation, technical tools, international cooperation and externally supported initiatives. Establishing a national institution to coordinate and facilitate the efficient governance of water resources is itself a significant achievement.

Enabling environment

Developing regulations and policies that support water-use administration, groundwater development, dam safety and integrated water resources management.

Technical and management tools

Developing basin plans, water-quality monitoring tools, strategies, guidelines and early-warning systems to support evidence-based decisions.

International recognition

Facilitating dialogue and cooperation on shared water resources, including processes involving Ghana and neighbouring countries.

06 · Regulation and policy

Enabling Environment

WRC has created an enabling environment for its work through the adoption and administration of relevant regulations and policies.

Water Use Regulations

LI 1692 of 2001

Provides the framework for the administration of water use.

Drillers’ Licence and Groundwater Development Regulations

LI 1827 of 2006

Provides for licensing drilling companies and supporting the safe development of groundwater resources.

Dam Safety Regulations

LI 2236

Addresses dam design, construction, operation, maintenance and decommissioning to promote uniform and adequate safety.

Riparian Buffer Zone Policy

2013

Supports the protection and management of riparian buffer zones.

National Water Policy

2007 and 2024

Includes the Integrated Water Resources Management component in the initial and revised policy.

07 · Knowledge and planning

Technical and Management Tools

WRC has developed practical resources for its own work and for partner institutions and stakeholders.

River Basin Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) Plans for eight basins.
National Water Quality Index for monitoring water-quality status nationwide (2005).
Guidelines for Raw Water Spillage and Dewatering (2018).
National Rainwater Harvesting Strategy (2011).
Gender and Water Resources Management Strategy (2011).
Groundwater Management Strategy (2011).
National Water Sector Strategic Development Plan (WSSDP) for implementation of the investment programme, 2012–2025.
Flood Early Warning Systems (FEWS) for the White Volta and Oti basins, providing information to support disaster-risk-reduction responses (2016).

08 · Shared waters

International Recognition

As the National Focal Institution, WRC has helped initiate and facilitate dialogue on transboundary water cooperation.

Established the Ghana–Burkina Faso Joint Technical Committee on IWRM in 2005 to advise the water ministers of both countries.
Led Ghana’s process to establish the Volta Basin Authority in 2009 and supported its functioning.
Facilitated Ghana’s ratification of the 1992 Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention) and the 1997 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses (Watercourses Convention). Ghana became a Party to the 1992 Water Convention in September 2020.
Facilitated improved communication channels for exchanging information about spillage from the Bagré Dam in Burkina Faso.
Shared experience and provided training for public-institution practitioners in water resources governance in Sierra Leone and Nigeria (2017–2019).

09 · Partnerships

External Support Initiatives

External partnerships have helped strengthen groundwater information, flood management, catchment protection and integrated water resources planning.

Hydrogeological Assessment Programme

CIDA · 2006–2011

Improved groundwater information in the northern regions. One important outcome was the adoption of deeper drilling depths as a sector approach to improving drilling success rates and yields.

Disaster Risk Management Projects

World Bank · 2012–2013 and 2015–2016

Strengthened flood management in the White Volta Basin. Flood-risk maps became available, forecasting and early-warning systems for the White Volta and Oti basins became operational, and national agency capacities improved.

Urban Catchment Management

UN-Habitat · 2006–2008

The Water for African Cities Phase II project contributed to catchment management around the Weija area to reduce land degradation and pollution of the Weija Reservoir.

Water and Sanitation Sector Programme Support II

Danida · 2004–2008

Supported WRC’s water-use monitoring and regulatory frameworks and strengthened Water Resources Information Systems institutions to improve data and information services for permitting analyses and water-resource assessments.

National and River Basin IWRM Plans

European Union · 2008–2011

Supported decentralised IWRM initiatives in the Pra and Tano basins and the development of the National IWRM Plan.

Recognition of performance

National Award: Most Efficient Regulator

WRC received the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA) “Most Efficient Regulator” award in Ghana for 2020, at the maiden Public Enterprise League Table (PELT). The award recognised WRC as the top-performing state-owned enterprise among regulatory institutions.

10 · Lessons and resilience

Challenges and Adaptations

WRC has faced challenges that persist alongside progress made in building a national water resources management system.

Enforcement and compliance

Although laws and regulations have been adopted and are administered, weak enforcement and compliance remain key challenges.

Sustainable financing

Funding has mainly come from government, internally generated funds and external support, which has declined over time. Financing plans and programmes at all levels, including transboundary commitments, remain a major obstacle.

Public awareness

Maintaining continuous education and public awareness on water resources management remains difficult, contributing to WRC’s relatively low visibility among the public and decision-makers.

Human capacity

Inadequate human capacity has constrained the Commission at national and basin levels.

Data and knowledge systems

Further infrastructure is needed for data, information and evidence-based knowledge systems to support decision-making.

How WRC has adapted

To address capacity and staffing gaps, WRC has contracted professionals and outsourced technical tasks where in-house staff were unavailable. Close collaboration with security agencies, especially the Police Service, has also been adopted to address enforcement and compliance challenges.

Experience has shown that coordinating institutions with different mandates can be difficult, particularly where previous responsibilities need to be transferred to WRC. This work requires patience, commitment and tact. It has also demonstrated that creating an enabling environment, establishing suitable institutional structures and developing effective IWRM tools require a longer timeframe than originally anticipated.

11 · Institutional leadership

Leadership: Past Executive Secretaries

Section 9 of the WRC Act 522 provides for the appointment of an Executive Secretary, in accordance with the prescribed consultation process, to oversee the Commission’s day-to-day management and administration.

This leadership structure has contributed to institutional continuity. The following Executive Secretaries have steered WRC since its early years:

1998–2004

Daniel Norkwei AdomJune 1998 – May 2004

2004–2006

Charles Augustus BineyMay 2004 – September 2006

2006–2022

Ben Yaw AmpomahOctober 2006 – April 2022

2022–2023

Dorcas Adwoa PaintsilMay 2022 – September 2023

2023–2025

Dr. Bob AlfaSeptember 2023 – May 2025

2025–2025

Prof. Alidu Seidu MahamaMay 2025 – September 2025

2026 –

Dr. Mawuli LumorSeptember 2026 – Current

These leaders were developed from within the organisation, helping support employee retention, staff engagement and a strong institutional culture that has contributed to WRC’s growth.