Higher tariffs must be backed by improved services - President Mills

Accra, April 23, GNA - President John Evans Atta Mills, on Friday as= ked utility service companies to improve on their service delivery, to justif= y their call for increased tariffs. He called on the companies to plug all leakages in water and electricity distribution system, and prosecute those found to have done illegal connections and make them pay their huge bills, in addition to th= e present custodial sentences.

President Mills complained about the erratic water supply and the unannounced power outages that had rather destroyed a number of electrica= l appliances.

The President made the call when he resumed his recent unannounced visits to the head offices of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) and Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), in Accra on Monday.

He stressed that they should be value for money and that consumers would only be prepared to pay higher bills and tariffs if there was evide= nce that the utility services had improved their delivery to their satisfacti= on adding that government would support such increase only if there is improvement of service delivery. When the President got to the GWCL at 0930, he met an apparent empty=

office as many of the workers were not yet at work.

He was, however, welcomed by Mr Daniel Adjetey Adjei, Head of Operations, as the Managing Director had travelled to Kumasi to inspect a=

recently completed water project.

President Mills, who walked the stairs rather than using the escalator, said that he visited the company to acquaint himself with operations of the company.

He said that despite water being life, the water situation in most parts of the country, especially Accra, is not good.

The President expressed worry about the unsightly many yellow gallons, which had changed nicknames from "Kufuor Gallons" to "Atta Mills Gallons" to indicate the water shortage situation.

He expressed concern about the private illegal underground water hydrants that deprived residents in Accra of water and the Company of the needed revenue and asked that those hydrants should be demolished. The Water Company must respond to complaints of burst pipes with dispatch since such pipes contributed to the rise in water bills.

President Mills appealed to the Water Company to also consider Accra in its water delivery improvement programmes. The Company should make the payment of bills attractive and lodging of complaints comfortable through improved customer care, rather than the unfriendly behaviour of some of the staff.

Mr Adjei acknowledged that the services of the company had not been the best, but it was expanding the Kpong Station to boost supply to Accra whi= ch a number of companies have indicated their willingness to support from th= eir own resources. He appealed to Parliament to expedite action on the legal formalitie= s concerning the Kpong project to enhance the expansion works.

He said the Company had constructed boreholes in Dodowa to pump wate= r to Adenta and the surrounding areas and that it was also considering a desalination plant to improve upon the water situation. Mr. Adjei said Ghana charged the lowest rates for water in the West African sub-region and explained that the rapid growth of population in Accra and its environs, where water was not originally supplied, had accounted for the shortage.

He said the Company and the Accra Metropolitan Authority (AMA) were collaborating to ease the problem in deprived areas adding that building=

permits would not be granted for building projects in such areas. Mr. Adjei asked the public to call 080040000 for complaints on any underground hydrant, adding that the Aqua Vitens Rand Company had been mandated to solve problems brought to its notice within 48 hours.

At the ECG, President Mills expressed worry about the unfriendly behaviour of some of the workers.

"Some of your workers treat the customers as criminals just for com= ing to pay their bills and making enquiries. I had to suffer a similar fate o= nce at the Legon Office and one Mr Anyetei came to my rescue," the President recalled. President Mills commended staff of ECG for working hard, and assured=

them of government's support for increased tariffs if their services were=

improved.

Mr Cephas Gakpo, Managing Director of ECG, who briefed the President= on the operations of the company, said he was happy about the visit, and sai= d that the Company had a lot to do to satisfy its customer.

He said about 30 per of the revenue of the company was lost to illeg= al connections and that it had engaged a consultant to verify the metering o= f consumers to expose illegal connections and impose penalty. Mr Gakpo announced that $430 million was made available to improve electricity distribution within the next six to 18 months and assured the=

public of better services at the end of the period.