The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has engaged state institutions, individuals and organisations who owe the company millions of cedis to pay their debt or face disconnection, Head of Public Relations of GWCL, Mr Stanley Martey, has disclosed.
He said currently, the company had instituted a payment plan for customers to pay these debts gradually, following a deadline issued to them, whilst customers who default the payment would be brought before the law.
Mr Martey disclosed this to the Ghanaian Times in an interview on Saturday in Accra, when he received an award at the Ghana Public Sector Public Relations Award.
He was among other public relations officers who made it to the top 20 this year, for their role in sustaining the government’s developmental project through effective communication with the public.
The Managing Director of the GWCL, Mr Clifford A. Braimah, was also recognised as the outstanding CEO support for the Public Relations Unit of GWCL.
Although Mr Martey did not disclose when the deadline for payment of debt would end, he said those who failed to pay their outstanding bills would not be spared.
“We have been on the field for a very long time collecting arrears from customers, and have not made much noise about it because we have negotiated with the customers with a payment plan.
“So far we have not had any challenge with those customers who owe us arrears, but there are few recalcitrant ones, who in no time the company will be naming them and as well take action against them,” he said.
He said although the company had already disconnected some homes and institution, it was yet to embark on a major debt collection exercise when the deadline for payment elapses.
Mr Martey urged its customers to pay their bills promptly to avoid disconnection and subsequent reconnection fees, stressing that all categories of customers who owe them money, including state-owned enterprises should not renege on their promises of paying their arrears.
BY BERNARD BENGHAN
