Ghana Water Limited’s Accra East Region is rewarding customers who consistently pay their water bills on time, even as some beneficiaries raise concerns about unreliable supply.
The initiative, organised as part of Customer Service Month, involves visits to selected domestic, commercial and industrial customers who are being presented with customised gifts in recognition of their prompt payments.
Chief Manager of the Accra East Region, Richard Appiah Otto, said the programme was intended to encourage payment discipline and help the company mobilise revenue to address operational challenges.
“We have extreme difficulties in getting some customers to pay their water bills,” he said.
He noted that some customers resort to illegal connections and other practices that undermine the company’s operations.
“But the customers we visited today are shining examples of customers who pay their water bills as soon as they receive the bills,” Mr Otto said.
According to him, prompt payment enables Ghana Water to generate the revenue and resources needed to improve service delivery and respond to operational challenges.
“That allows us to generate the needed revenue and the resources, and also save time to attend to all the problems that face us as a utility,” he added.
Despite the recognition, some beneficiaries say their commitment to paying their bills has not translated into consistent access to water.
At Labadi, one of the customers, William Ablorh Adjei, said he had experienced inadequate water supply for an extended period despite regularly settling his bills.
“Since last year, there has been no proper flow. Previously, we had water twice a week, but now it is zero,” he said.
His concerns highlight the expectations of customers who believe reliable water supply should accompany their efforts to meet their payment obligations.
Another beneficiary, Ernestina Sowah, stressed the importance of paying for water services, describing prompt payment as a civic responsibility.
“I know that if you enjoy potable water, you must pay for it. Those who owe should pay,” she said in Twi.
Ghana Water Limited says the reward programme will continue beyond this year as part of efforts to encourage more customers to pay their bills promptly.
The company has also warned customers with outstanding bills to settle their debts or risk disconnection.
While the initiative is intended to strengthen payment discipline and improve revenue collection, concerns raised by some beneficiaries point to the importance of reliable supply in sustaining customer confidence and encouraging timely payment.