Coronavirus: Water will be free but at a cost - GWCL MD

The Acting Managing Director of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), Dr Clifford Braimah, says despite government making the consumption of water free for the next three months, the move will be at a cost.

“There is no free lunch anywhere,” he stressed.

Dr Braimah made this known on Thursday, April 16 when he assumed the hot seat on TV3’s Hot Issues with Johnnie Hughes.

As part of mitigating the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on Ghanaians in the phase of the call on all to stay home, government decided to absorb water bills from April to June.

“Government will absorb the water bills for all Ghanaians for the next three months.

“All water tankers, publicly and privately-owned, are also going to be mobilised to ensure the supply of water to all vulnerable communities,” President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced on Sunday, April 5.

He directed the Company, consequently, to ensure uninterrupted supply.

Dr Braimah assured that his outfit is working around the clock to meet this directive by the president, noting that 10,000-litre water tanks have been procured to be mounted at vantage points for free use by the citizens.

He said an estimated GH¢300 million is what it will cost government for the three-month period.

But the GWCL boss stressed that consumers should not think there is no cost to the usage.

“As much as it is free, there is a cost to it,” he emphasised.

“So you cannot allow the cost to go to a level that is unacceptable.”

Dr Braimah said if accountability processes are not brought to this directive, “it is going to create problems for everybody especially after the three months”.