Water crisis looms as NEDCo disconnects GWCL over GHS 39m debt

There is a looming water crisis in Tamale and its environs in the Northern region as the power supply to the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has been disconnected by the Northern Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (NEDCo).

The disconnection is a result of Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) owing Northern Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (NEDCo) an amount of Thirty-Nine million Ghana cedis (GHS 39m).

The Northern Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (NEDCo), is embarking on the second phase of its general revenue mobilization exercise across its operational areas including State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), and Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs).

The Area Manager for NEDCo, Elvis Denuyakor, indicated that NEDCo had engaged and sent a letter to the GWCL severally but to no avail.

“ We engaged the management here and they couldn't tell us anything so we decided to take off the power and we are opened for them to come to the office for us to have a discussion and we hope when they come we can agree on something so that we can do the needful and bring the power back.”

According to him, as of April 2023, GWCL owed NEDCo about GHS 39 million, and they are yet to process the May 2023 bill which he thinks the bill could move from GHS 39 million to about GHS 40 million.

He indicated that NEDCo is compelled to disconnect institutions that owe them to stay in business and provide a reliable power supply to their customers.

He urged institutions and other customers to ensure that they take up their responsibilities and pay up their bills to avoid any disconnection.

The Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo), owes VRA about GHS 1.6 billion as well as Gridco over GHS 480 million.

Information gathered by DGN Online indicated that within the NEDco operational area, customers owe NEDCo over GHS 1.2 billion.

-DGN Online