Government not responsible for supply of water - Director

Tamale (Northern Region), 19th April ?99 ?

Mr Francis Kofi Brew, Northern Regional Director of the Ghana Water and Sewerage Corporation (GWSC) has said that the maintenance and running of water supply system is the responsibility of the GWSC and not the government.

Government only provides funds for the installation of new equipment, Mr Brew said at a public forum organised by the Tamale concerned citizens association (TCCA) to afford management of utility services in the region to explain the constraints in their operations and how they were being addressed. There has been growing consumer dissatisfaction with the output of these services especially the GWSC, whose supply of water is characterised by frequent shortages and interruptions.

He said the Japanese-sponsored Tamale water rehabilitation project when completed would increase supply to the municipality from 2.7 million gallons to between 3.5 million and 4.3 million gallons a day. This would, however, not solve the entire water problem in the municipality, which needs a minimum of nine million gallons a day. Mr Brew said test pumping has started and that the water will be rationed when the rehabilitation is completed to ensure equitable distribution. Meanwhile, he said, plans are far advanced to secure funding for the expansion of facilities to provide uninterrupted supply to communities within 35 kilometres radius of Tamale.

Mr Brew complained about people's refusal to pay their water bills saying this was a recipe for the collapse of the water supply system in the municipality. He said the corporation spends about 330 million cedis a month to supply treated water to the municipality but realises only about 80 million cedis from revenue while 60 million cedis is spend a month on electricity. Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, Member of Parliament for Gukpegu-Sabonjida, said, GWSC cannot insist on the payment of water bills, if the taps are not flowing. "The people are prepared to pay for what they get and not what they are supposed to get. GWSC should improve on its performance if it wants to meet its revenue targets.? The participants appealed to the GWSC to draw a timetable for the rationing of water and decentralise its revenue offices to facilitate payment of bills, which should be sent to customers regularly.