The Ghana Water Company Limited has admonished defaulting customers to honour all debt obligations before they can enjoy the benefits of the free water supply announced by President Akufo-Addo on Sunday.
President Akufo-Addo during his fifth address to the nation said government is absorbing the water bills of Ghanaians for the next three months due to the impact of the novel coronavirus on the economy. He also added that arrangements are being made for communities that do not enjoy water supply to be served by water tankers.
“The government will absorb the water bills for all Ghanaians for the next three months, i.e. April, May, and June. All water tankers, publicly and privately-owned, are also going to be mobilized to ensure the supply of water to all vulnerable communities,” President Akufo-Addo said.
Speaking in an interview monitored by ABC News, the Chief Executive of the company, Dr. Clifford Braimah, however, clarified that all customers whose lines have been disconnected for nonpayment of bills will not be reconnected until they pay their debts in full.
According to him, “the people who are owing us, we expect that they pay before they get free water. Somebody said those of them who have been disconnected, we have to connect them so that they will benefit from the three months [free water service]. I said the President is not telling me to give free water to those who are not connected because the president is not paying for January or February. And so those owing will have to pay.”
He further said management will hold a meeting to discuss ways of supplying water to communities not served by the GWCL.
However, GWCL says it might consider those who have been disconnected due to the debts owed by providing them with tanker services.
“There are some people in Accra who already do not have connection and we are setting aside tanker services to be able to attend to them. We will consider those who have been disconnected as those that are to benefit from the tanker service,” he said.