After two years of not paying for electricity consumed, the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has paid GH¢2 million out of its GH¢17.5 million indebtedness to the Electricity Company of Ghana in the Volta Region.
The last time the GWCL paid for electricity consumed was in 2021 and this led to the company becoming the highest debtor of ECG in the Volta Region with a debt profile of GH¢17.5 million.
The payment of GH¢2 million to the power distributor comes after series of engagements which led to the power distributor serving the GWCL with a disconnection notice to settle its indebtedness or face disconnection on Tuesday 4th April 2023.
The disconnection notice led to crunch talks between both companies in the Volta Region which eventually saw the ECG rescind its decision to cut power supply to the facilities of GWCL.
Addressing the media, the Acting Volta Regional General Manager of ECG, Ing. Michael Buabin, said that “We rescinded our decision to disconnect GWCL on 4th April 2023 because we knew they were going to pay something very soon since the discussions we had with them at the Regional and Head Office level were positive“.
Ing. Buabin indicated that the company is not embarking on a mass disconnection exercise but a revenue mobilization exercise “so once the company engages you, and you show commitment to pay, there can be a consensus”.
“We don’t take delight in disconnecting customers, but we also want to collect the needed revenue so when we engage you and there’s positive feedback. We don’t take you off the national grid but once you default or fail to present a positive solution, disconnection which is always the last resort will be done”.
Ing. Buabin also noted that the GWCL provides essential services to consumers so disconnecting them also has adverse effects.
“For example, if we disconnect GWCL, hospitals, schools and innocent consumers who have paid their water bills will not get water supply, hence the need to engage the GWCL extensively for them to pay their bills to avoid disconnection”, he said.
Ing. Buabin indicated that the GH¢2 million paid by the GWCL is nowhere near its GH¢17.5 million debt in the region and urged them to make regular payments to avoid accruing more debt in the nearest future.
“The amount paid by GWCL is small compared to their debt profile, but we hope they will be making regular payments to enable them reduce or clear their debt. We will be monitoring the situation to ensure we receive frequent payments from their outfit”.
Ing. Buabin expressed hope that GWCL will fulfil its patriotic act of paying for electricity consumed by making another payment very soon.
Other institutions that made payments in the Volta Region include UHAS, Ho technical university, Abutia Stone Quarry among others.
The ECG has also engaged Hospitals that charge utilities as part of bills given to patients, especially missionary hospitals (CHAG), the Ghana Police Service, Ghana National Fire Service and Ghana Prisons Service in the Volta Region to settle their indebtedness or face disconnection.
Source;Citinewsroom
