The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Atwima Nwabiagya North District Assembly, Hon. Mba Zechariah Alenbilla has held a stakeholder meeting with chiefs and elders around Barekese and Owab Dam to take a resolution over encroachment and pollution challenges faced by the two water bodies.
The noble meeting was held on Friday, the 22nd of May, 2026, at the district capital, Barekese.
Officials from the Ghana Water Limited (GWL), the District Chief Executive, Hon. Mba Zechariah Alenbilla, District Coordinating Director, Rev. Mr. Akowuah Antwi, Presiding Member, Rev. Hon. Simon Karikari Bonsu, Chiefs who were settlers and relocated to Asoufua, Ghana Police Service (GPS) NADMO, staffs, Assembly members for Asoufua-Asamang, Achiase, Marban and Barekese electroal areas, the media and all and sundry who formed part of the engagement respectively were in attendance.
In his welcome address, Rev. Mr. Antwi was honored; stakeholders have responded positively to the invitation, indicating their readiness to help the DCE and the Assembly faced the issue with urgency.
He called on them to demonstrate openness and contribute when necessary to the issue at hand. Once again he welcome them and assured then of the DCE’s and Assembly’s cooperation to a successful discourse.
Addressing stakeholders gathered, the government’s representatives for Atwima Nwabiagya North, Hon. Mba revealed to stakeholders through a video presentation the devastating status of the Barekese Dam and the plastic waste and filth that has polluted the Dam which serves as drinking water for the people of Ashanti and beyond.
He further made stakeholders see the illegal activities that has gradually narrowed and reduced the water turbidity of the Dam and where Chiefs have a role to play.
He called on all stakeholders present to help in arriving at a decision and finding a concrete solution to the issue at hand.
Open Discussion
Chiefs who opined to the discourse revealed that though government made commitment to the land compensation to Chiefs. As of the crop compensation to affected farmers and entitled owners till date (2026) that has not been made.
It was explained that the land was once a settlement where houses were built, people lived, Chiefs ruled and major activity was farming. The government procurement to use the place for a construction of Dam and a relocation was successful but compensation was partly resolved.
They further added that during the process about two hundred meters (200m) was left to not encroached and had GWL guards patrol the boundary continually, but over some time those guards have left their duties leading to current encroachment.
In the area of administrative incompetencies Ghana Water Limited (GWL) were pin pointed. Nananom revealed many instances when letters of concerns and oversight responsibilities left to rot over the happenings in the Dam area were issued to GWL to act but until now (2026) no response from the entity.
Nananom said as of the farming activities, they have no role in it and called on GWL to provide evidence to that. They however asked GWL to start making arrest on farmers who have encroached and allow the law deal with them.
Responding to the administrative incapacity, the Ghana Water Limited admitted but said due to administrative takeover by the Water Resources Comssion (WRC) mandated for the full supervision of both dams their authority has ceased and could do little on the issue. They are worried and have communicated same to the Commission.
Resolution
After back and forth blame on GWL, the DCE called on stakeholders especially chiefs and elders on the proposition to cement the problem.
Some of the chiefs raised arresting defaulters who have violate the order and entered the forest or buffer zone to farm to set as example to others who violates order.
Others called for the action against those whose houses, and waste products or produce have been connected to the river or dump waste in the river during heavy rain
