Customers who owe water bills won’t enjoy government’s free water – GWCL

To enjoy the free water supply the president announced on Sunday evening, persons who owe the Ghana Water Company Limited first have to pay their debt, Chief Executive Officer of the company Dr Clifford Braimah has said.

He said customers whose lines have been disconnected for non-payment of bills should also not expect to be reconnected.

“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,” Dr Braimah said in an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show on Monday.

He added that a meeting will be held later in the day to decide on the modalities involved in water tankers supplying water to communities that are not served by the Ghana Water Company Limited.

“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.

Due to the need to regularly wash the hands as part of efforts to fight Coronavirus, the availability of water has become imperative in the country.

Ghanaians believe this gesture will ease pressure on their finances especially as the partial lockdown and suspension of most businesses have affected their livelihoods.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in his last address to the nation on developments on the fight against COVID-19 said Ghanaians won’t have to pay for water from April to June as government will foot bill.

This he said, is to provide relief for Ghanaians amidst the partial lockdown in some parts of the country.

“In addition, there will be no disconnection of supply. Furthermore, the government will absorb the water bills for all Ghanaians for the next three months, ie, 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,” the president said.