GWCL opposes Labour's tariff reduction proposals

The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has vehemently opposed the proposed reduction in water tariff by Organized Labour.

According to GWCL, the proposed reduction in tariff could adversely affect its operations and water supply in general across the country.

During a recent meeting at the Flagstaff House between Government and Ghanaian workers represented by TUC, the issue about the reduction in water and electricity tariffs, which were increased by 67.2 and 59.2 respectively, was raised.

Organised Labour at the time demanded that gov­ernment reduces water and electricity tariffs to 50 per­cent.

They proposed that the current electricity tariff be reduced by 9.2 percent and water by 17.2 percent.

But Corporate Commu­nications Manager of GWCL, Stanly Martey, addressing journalists on Monday in Accra, appealed to Ghanaians to "appreciate the operations of GWCL and cope with the current tariff.”

He said Ghanaians must be willing to pay “realistic tariff in order to get better services from the water company."

According to him, GWCL's operating cost was far above its charges and so if there should be further reduction, the company may struggle to survive.

GWCL, he intimated, was embarking on a number of projects nationwide to ensure that it serves clients better but warned that that cannot be achieved if the tariff level drops.

He said GWCL was tar­geting 100 percent water coverage nationwide by 2025 at a cost of about $2 billion.

He further noted that the water company was currently embarking on some projects at a total cost of $676 million across the country.