The Director of Communications at the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), Stanley Martey, has entreated defaulting customers to pay their arrears by the end of August.

According to him, due to the post-paid nature of water distribution, people consume the water before they are billed to pay. This, he explained, affects their operations once customers do not pay their bills on time.

Mr Martey revealed that it is the “little money we collect from our customers that we use in procuring our chemicals and other equipment and all logistics” in the production of water.

So, our prayer is that everybody shall do what is expected of them so that they settle their bills… If you refuse to pay after you have consumed, then your actions affect us negatively and we’ve gotten to a point where we don’t have to allow that. We will expect all customers to settle their bills before the end of August or face the law.”
Stanley Martey

Elaborating on the amnesty grant given by the GWCL to customers owing them, he indicated it is a pardon as well meant to encourage defaulting customers to make payment. He highlighted that it is necessary for customers to pay since the Company has realized that from the beginning of this year, “the trend for payment is gradually reducing” and more people are not paying their bills in full and that is having a toll on their operations.

“So, what we mean here is that, although people are owing us and we need the money to also enable us perform the way Ghanaians expect us, we are still pardoning them for now so that they put themselves together so by the end of August 2022, they should be able to settle all arrears to the Ghana Water Company Limited. So, that is why we have chosen the word amnesty.”
Stanley Martey

Punitive sanctions for defaulting customers

The Communications Director of GWCL highlighted that the company has done everything possible to enable customers pay their bills. However, he explained that the situation keeps worsening and customers keep piling up arrears.

Mr Martey stated that the GWCL has gotten to a point where “we have had enough mercies” and there is the need to go all out and collect monies owed. He indicate that he does not expect customers to be recalcitrant to compel his outfit to go to the extent of “prosecuting them at the law court or to the extent of publishing their names” in the newspapers for owing the company.

“That is why we are giving this grace period or this pardon to customers who are owing us…One of the sanctions will be for us to publish your names in the newspapers and have you prosecuted at the law court as well. As for the disconnection, it’s the normal thing, so we will disconnect and put in other efforts to enable us retrieve our monies…”
Stanley Martey

Commenting on whether customers who have been able to make partial payments are exempted, Mr Martey noted that “everybody owing the company is involved”. He explained that if a customer still has some challenges paying, the GWCL has “given a window of opportunity” for them to explore.

“So, go to the district office, talk to them and then, they can give you a payment plan to the end of August. If you are a recalcitrant customer, such that month after month you refuse to pay your bill, I’m sure you’ll be handled differently compared to somebody who does part payment. So, if you are able to show beyond any reasonable doubt that you will be able to pay your bill, I’m sure you’ll be treated differently.”
Stanley Martey