Coronavirus: Govt to absorb water, electricity bills of lifeline consumers - Nana Addo

Government will absorb bills of active lifeline electricity and water users for January, February, and March 2021, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has announced.

In an address to the nation on Sunday, January 3, he said the decision to extend the relief package is due to the persistent hardships in the country, owing to the coronavirus.

“You will recall that, in our quest to help shield you from the effects of the virus, the government took the decision to provide relief to Ghanaians, which included the absorption of electricity and water bills. This relief package ended in December. However, with the continuing difficulties occasioned by the pandemic, I want to state that the government intends to continue to support the most vulnerable in our society.

“Government will, thus, continue to pay the electricity bills for our nation’s one million active lifeline customers for the next three months, i.e. January, February, and March. Additionally, all one million, five hundred thousand customers of the Ghana Water Company, whose consumption is not more than five cubic meters a month, will not pay any bills for the next three months, i.e. for the months of January, February and March. This relief package will be reviewed at the end of March,” The president stressed.

Government’s initial directive to the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) to serve all Ghanaians with free water as part of measures to fight the coronavirus pandemic ended on December 31, 2020.