Illegal borehole, pond drillers to face 1-year jail term - Water Resources Commission

• Constructing boreholes and ponds without license is illegal

• Failure to obtain a water drilling licence from the Water Resources Commission could end one in jail

• The Commission has urged individuals and companies to secure a license before engaging in drilling activities

Persons who drill boreholes and ponds without a license from the Water Resources Commission (WRC) will face not more than 12 months in jail or pay a fine of not more than 200 penalty units.

This was disclosed by the Executive Secretary of Water Resources Commission (WRC), Ben Yaw Ampomah, in an interview with the Mirror Newspaper which was sighted by GhanaWeb.

According to him, Regulation 23 of the LI 1827 (2006) states that: “A person who carries out or allows the carrying out of well drilling activity for the abstraction of water without a licence from the commission commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not more than 200 penalty units or imprisonment for a term of not more than 12 months or to both."

“A licence holder who conducts drilling activities contrary to the conditions of the licence commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not more than 250 penalty units or imprisonment for a term of not more than two years or to both,” he added.

He explained that the activities of individuals and companies who engage in this activity are guided by the Drilling Licence and Groundwater Development Regulations Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 1827 (2006).

This is to manage water resources in the country.

Mr Ampomah noted the Water Resources Commission has begun arresting defaulters to ensure strict compliance with the law.

He noted that the job requires professionals so that the lives of people are not endangered.

So far, a total of 100 drillers have registered with the Commission, the Executive Secretary, Ben Yaw Ampomah stated.