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Business News of Thursday, 5 December 2002

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Water Company works with Ghana Post

A new partnership between the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) and Ghana Post (GP) was launched on Wednesday to enable the post offices to collect water bills.

This would help solve some of the problems associated with the payment of water bills by customers. Jonathan Nii Ahele Nunoo, Managing Director, GWCL, said the company was faced with numerous challenges in its effort to collect revenue to sustain it and also help it to provide quality service to its customers.

"Some of the problems include our mode of revenue collection, inaccessibility of collection points to customers and misappropriation and embezzlement of funds by some officials of the company," he added.

He said presently customers nationwide owe over 160 billon cedis to the company and the amount was increasing daily. "The company needs about 500 million cedis daily to be able to provide potable drinking water to its customers, and I will urge all who owe to settle their bills before the end of the year to avoid any embarrassment," he said.

He thanked the management and staff of the GP for accepting the challenge to partner with the GWCL and appealed for proper supervision to ensure a "good work done." Isaac Adu-Boahene, Managing Director, GP, said the alliance would not only bring satisfaction to customers, but also prove how public institutions in the country could cooperate to dispel the negative perceptions about them.

He said the GP, recognising the changing demands of its customers, decided to adopt a smooth strategy that would diversify its mode of operation, by incorporating other activities, including the collection of utility bills at all its service point in the country.

"This would enhance our dwindling revenue due to current market competition and also help maintain and provide better remuneration to our cherished workers," Mr Adu-Boahene said.

He said payment of water bills could now commence at all GP offices throughout the country from today. Adu-Boahene thanked the management of the GWCL for the confidence in the GP and assured customers of efficient and reliable service.