Encroachment and development on Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) pipelines pose danger to the developers and essential installations, Mr Sampson Ampah, Tema Regional Communication Manager of GWCL has stated.

He explained that it was hazardous to develop any property on GWCL pipelines as “a burst on any of our major lines could lead to the death of such encroachers.

“Encroachment and development on our lines also hinder early detection of faults and impedes repair works”.

Mr Ampah stated this at the first ordinary meeting of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly, which was to consider its authority report for ratification and implementation.

The meeting was in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Act 936 of 2016 which enjoined District Assemblies to hold ordinary assembly meetings each quarter of the year.

He said GWCL had continually engaged such persons to relocate but to no avail, therefore the outfit had acquired the services of the security agencies to enable them to demolish some of the structures before working on such lines.

Touching on the announced scheduled maintenance on the company’s main 42-inches transmission lines, said portions of the line that transmit water from Kpong to the Tema Booster Station was leaking badly and needed to be worked on.

Mr Ampah added that works would start at portions of the line at Gbetsiley Junction which would lead to the shutting down of taps for some days and therefore urged residents to store enough water to cater for their needs during the period.

He added that the line formed parts of its three lines that comprised of a 21 and 24 inches transmission lines disclosing that management had agreed to do some extensions on the lines that provided water to Kpone and its environs as it was planning to do some interconnectivity to help solve their water challenges.

He said due to volumes of water available to be shared among residents of Tema and its environs, and parts of Greater Accra Region a rationing timetable was in place to ensure that all received water during the week.

Mr Ampah said to ensure that the lines did not go dry during the rationing, some quantity of water was always left in the pipes and used to supply essential institutions especially hospitals.

The ordinary session was attended by Assembly members who deliberated on the recommendations in the authority report and Heads of Departments; Mr Enoch Teye Mensah, Greater Accra Representative at the Council of States; Mr Yves Nii Noye Hansen, Member of Parliament for Tema Central; Mr Isaac Ashai Odamtten, MP for Tema East among others.

There were other recommendations covering justice and security, environmental health, social development services, ports and harbours development, finance and administration, revenue mobilization and agriculture among others.