Public debt owed GWCL climbs up to GHc100m

The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) is owed a total of GHc 100 million in unpaid water bills by some public institutions in the Ashanti Region.
These include metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies, schools and other institutions.

Mr. Maxwell Addo Boateng, the Ashanti South Regional Manager, made this known to the Regional Minister, Mr. Simon Osei-Mensah, when he visited the company.
It formed part of his inspection of government’s institutions and agencies to acquaint himself with their operations, the challenges and how to tackle these.
Mr. Boateng said the huge indebtedness had become a major bother and making things pretty difficult for them.

The bills payment delay, he informed the Minister, was severely affecting the operations of the company.
“One of our biggest challenges over the years has been the outstanding debt by state and public agencies”, he added.

Mr Osei-Mensah also visited the offices of the Ashanti North of Company, where a similar concern was raised by Mr. Gilbert Nii Aflah Quaye, the Manager.
GWCL has been producing 43.2 million gallons of water a day from the Barekese and Owabi headworks for supply to residents in Kumasi and the adjoining districts.

The company has the capacity to daily produce 44.2 million gallons of water. Mr. Osei-Mensah gave the assurance that everything would be done to ensure that the affected institutions settled the unpaid water bills to ease the financial pressure on the company.

“I am a bit surprised at how these institutions can pile up arrears. Government is willing to find out their reasons and if we realize they budgeted for water bills but failed to pay, they would have to answer to us.”
GNA

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