Today in history: You will still enjoy free water – Minister to persons owing GWCL

The former Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Dapaah, at a Press Briefing on April 7, 2020, revealed that defaulting customers of the Ghana Water Company Limited were also going to enjoy the “Free Water” provided by the government during the pandemic.

She explained that such customers will settle their arrears later.

“The arrears will be kept as arrears, but those who owe will enjoy [free] water for April, May and June so there shouldn’t be any alarm. The arrears are on hold,” Cecilia Dapaah told the media.

Fast forward to March 2021, Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah revealed that Ghanaians will have to pay for the free provision of water and electricity provided by the government in 2020.

Read the full story originally published on April 7, 2020 on GhanaWeb

The Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources has cleared the air about the entitlement of people owing the Ghana Water Company Limited to the free water being provided by government over a three-month period.

Cecilia Abena Dapaah, speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday stated that the defaulting customers will settle their arrears later.

“The arrears will be kept as arrears, but those who owe will enjoy [free] water for April, May and June so there shouldn’t be any alarm. The arrears are on hold,” Cecilia Dapaah told the media.

This is in contradiction with former statements by CEO of GWCL who had suggested that persons owing the company will be excluded from government’s ‘free water’ intervention for all citizens.

Dr Clifford Braimah said on Monday that people who have arrears to settle must do that before they can enjoy the free water.

“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 said in an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show.

Meanwhile, Cecilia Dapaah has urged all landlords to desist from charging tenants for water within the three months.

“I know there are landlords who also charge tenants for water. With all due respect, the water should be given to all tenants free because the landlords will not be paying water bills for April, May and June,” she stated.

The free water intervention is to help ease the financial pressure on citizens as the country battles the Coronavirus pandemic.

Ghana has so far recorded 287 cases with 3 recoveries and 5 deaths.