- “Government will, thus, continue to pay the electricity bills for our nation’s one million active lifeline customers for the next three months, i.e. January, February and March. Additionally, all 1.5 million customers of the Ghana Water Company, whose consumption is not more than five cubic metres a month, will not pay any bills for the next three months, i.e. for the months of January, February and March.”
The government has extended free water and electricity supply package for the poor due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Delivering his 21st address on measures being taken to address the coronavirus pandemic, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said over one million active lifeline customers will not be paying electricity bills from now until March.
He said the decision was taken by the government as a result of the “continuing difficulties occasioned by the pandemic.”
“Government will, thus, continue to pay the electricity bills for our nation’s one million active lifeline customers for the next three months, i.e. January, February and March,” Nana Akufo-Addo announced.
He added: “Additionally, all 1.5 million customers of the Ghana Water Company, whose consumption is not more than five cubic metres a month, will not pay any bills for the next three months, i.e. for the months of January, February and March.”
Review
The president served notice that “this relief will be reviewed at the end of March.”
It will be recalled that late 2020, the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) served notice that it will end the free water supply package to Ghanaians on 31 December.
The initiative was mooted by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo over the past 10 months as part of measures to minimise the spread of COVID-19.
“31 December, 2020, marks the end of the Government’s directive to the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) to serve Ghanaians with water for free as part of measures to curb the rapid spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Customers of GWCL must please note, that from hence, the payment of water bill will be the responsibility of the customer. The Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, and the Management of GWCL therefore wish to inform consumers and the general public that the last meter reading for the month of December, 2020 officially ends the free water delivery,” a statement from the water company said.
It added: “GWCL assures customers that, meter readers, and all frontline staff will continue to adhere and practice in full, all the protocols to protect themselves and our cherished customers, including cladding themselves in GWCL apparel, identity cards, personal sanitizers and face masks, before accessing their premises to read the meters.
Caring government
On Sunday 5 April 2020, President Akufo-Addo announced: “The Ghana Water Company Ltd and the Electricity Company of Ghana have been directed to ensure the stable supply of water and electricity during this period. There will be no disconnection of supply.”
The measures were aimed at cushioning the public, and especially vulnerable families, from the effects of COVID-19.
Speaking during his presentation of the Mid-Year Budget Review in Parliament in July, the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, said because the government puts the concerns and aspirations of the ordinary Ghanaian first, “That is also why we further reduced electricity by half and completely provided potable water for free for everybody since March this year …”
He said: “It takes a caring government of the people, and with that, I mean a government of all the people, to offer cost-free water to all across the country, representing all domestic and commercial customers in Ghana …”
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