Kpone-Katamanso Water Tanker Drivers Begin Indefinite Strike Over Mysterious Shutdown of Supply Points

By Rebecca Lartey

Kpone-Katamanso, Ghana – Water tanker drivers in the Kpone-Katamanso Municipality have declared an indefinite strike following what they describe as the unexplained and sudden shutdown of all major water supply points in the area.

The over 200 members of the Kpone-Katamanso Water Suppliers Union of Ghana, along with their assistants, ceased operations on Tuesday after receiving notice that water sources had been closed “on orders from above,” according to a letter purportedly issued by the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL).

The affected tanker drivers serve dozens of communities without direct access to piped water, including Kubekrom No. 1 and 2, Appolonia, Abiola, New York, Kingdom City, and Peaceland. For years, these neighbourhoods have depended entirely on tanker deliveries for drinking, cooking, and sanitation, as no pipeline infrastructure exists in the area.

Union Public Relations Officer, Nana Adom, expressed outrage over the lack of consultation and transparency from the GWCL, describing the decision as “a direct attack on livelihoods.”

“We have been left in the dark. Nobody has explained why these sources have been closed. If this continues, we will have no option but to hit the streets in protest,” Mr. Adom warned.

Union Chairman, Christopher Koley, criticised the government for failing to safeguard small-scale operators like them.

“The government promised jobs, not the collapse of self-employed businesses. What is happening now is killing our work and affecting thousands of residents who rely on us for water,” he said.

The strike has already started to bite. In several low-income settlements, residents told reporters they have been forced to fetch untreated dam water for cleaning and domestic chores. Health experts have warned that the use of unsafe water could trigger outbreaks of waterborne diseases if the crisis is not resolved swiftly.

Efforts to obtain an official response from the GWCL were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.

The tanker drivers say the strike will continue until the water supply points are reopened or an alternative arrangement is made to ensure uninterrupted service to affected communities.