Cabinet has approved the merger of Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) and the Ghana Urban Water Company Limited (GUWCL). It followed proposals from some staff of the GWCL for government to amalgamate the two utility providers to cut down on the repetition of roles they both perform. According to Information and Media Relations Minister, Mahama Ayariga, the merger is to enhance efficient water production and distribution. Speaking to journalists at the Flagstaff House, Friday, June 28, 2013, Mr. Ayariga said cabinet deliberated on the proposal and concluded that the GWCL and GUWCL be merged into “a single national utility with the Head Office playing the role of an asset holding company”. Workers of the Ghana Water Company Ltd (GWCL) a couple of weeks ago gave government a two-week ultimatum to merge the operations of the Ghana Urban Water Ltd (GUWL) with the GWCL or they would lay down their tools. They argued the existence of the two entities amounts to a duplication of functions and a drain on the companies’ resources. “The Head Office would hold the assets of the two entities merged into one and the regional offices will be departments which will enter into performance contracts to ensure that there is efficiency, they meet targets…they provide satisfactory service to the regions they variously manage,” the Minister further explained.