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Landlords and water vendors are to desist from selling water to their customers till, at least, the end of September, the Ghana Water Company Ltd (GWCL) has said.
This follows a relief package rolled out by the government to alleviate the public from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
In July, the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, announced that Ghanaians will enjoy free water supply for three months, ending in September, and electricity for select groups.
Despite the directive, a section of the public has complained of certain landlords and water vendors charging them for water.
Reacting to this, the GWCL said: “It is wrong and illegal for any water vendor or landlord or landlady to sell water during this period: July, August and September 2020.”
Compensation for vendors
Some house owners and water vendors have also alleged that the government’s absorption of water bills is yet to reflect on their meters.
They have been left with no choice, they say, than to continue billing customers for the water, in order not to run at a loss.
However, GWCL urged people in this category to register for compensation at the company’s regional offices.
In a statement, the water distribution company said: “All customers in Category 612, especially water vendors and house owners, who sell water directly to tenants and other members of the community, are to register with the district offices of the GWCL for their categories to be changed to enable the system to generate compensation for them.”
Water supply challenges
The GWCL also refuted claims that the water supply challenges faced by some households were deliberate. The company, therefore, urged the general public to desist from spreading such false information around.
In its statement, GWCL said members of the public with water supply problems must endeavour to report them so these can be fixed immediately.
“Management of GWCL will want to assure our cherished consumers that such stories are false. It is not and cannot be deliberate, and it will be appreciated if members of the general public peddling these fabricated stories put an end to it.
“The general public is encouraged and entreated to contact the GWCL call centre any time they experience water supply challenges within their homes and neighbourhood and also report pipe bursts and leakages,” the statement said.
E A Alanore
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