Ghana Water Ltd (GWL) has issued a public notice on the adverse effects of customer indebtedness on the company’s operations.
“The Management of Ghana Water Ltd (GWL) wishes to inform the public, that the indebtedness of customers to the company is having a negative impact on the operations of the company. Management acknowledges the critical role water plays in the daily lives of Ghanaians, and as a utility company mandated by law to ensure access to clean water, the company is committed to providing reliable services, however, the company is persistently faced with a challenge of indebtedness from customers.”
In a statement, GWL indicated the critical role of water in Ghanaian daily life and underscored its commitment to providing reliable services despite ongoing challenges posed by customer arrears.
Over the years, GWL has witnessed a troubling increase in unpaid bills, straining the company’s financial resources and hindering operational efficiency.Despite various initiatives such as revenue mobilization campaigns and flexible payment plans, the problem persists.
“Over the past years, GWL has observed a concerning trend of accumulating arrears from some customers, posing significant financial strain on the company’s operations. Despite various efforts to address this issue through revenue mobilization exercises, “operation pay or get disconnected” campaign, announcements, advertisements, payment reminders and flexible payment plans, the problem still persists.”
GWL management has urged the public to settle outstanding balances promptly, emphasizing that revenue from water bills is essential for infrastructure maintenance and service improvements nationwide.
The company is open to collaborating with customers facing financial difficulties, offering flexible payment arrangements to address substantial debts.
“The company aims to collaborate with customers to find feasible solutions, including implementing flexible payment arrangements for those with substantial debts and obvious challenges. By this release, Customers are being notified, that the company will use all legal means possible to retrieve all arrears.”
GWL has emphasized that, customers who fails to settle outstanding bills by the end of May 2024 will face publication of their names, including company names and amounts owed, in national newspapers. Legal action may also be taken to enforce payment compliance.
Attached is the full statement
Press Release Arrears retrieval 2024
I think GWL should, have a system of collecting debt and collating figures in an automated interface accessible by both clients and officials. This will prevent backdoor operations leading to corruption.