PAC orders CWSA to engage IGP over GH¢300,000 police water debt

The Public Accounts Committee of Parliament (PAC) has directed the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) to engage the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to recover more than GH¢300,000 owed by 72 police stations and posts across the country.

The directive followed concerns raised by the Committee over unpaid water bills owed to the CWSA by various public institutions.

PAC Chairperson Abena Osei-Asare questioned why the agency had not directly engaged the leadership of the Ghana Police Service to recover the outstanding amount from the affected police facilities.

She said the debt, although significant to the CWSA, could be resolved through discussions with the appropriate authorities within the Police Service.

Ms Osei-Asare consequently instructed the agency's management to approach the IGP and seek his intervention to ensure that the outstanding bills were settled.

“You think the IGP would be happy that 72 police posts or police stations owe just GH¢300,000? If you go to him today, he will write a cheque for you. GH¢300,000 for 72 posts and this is how you want to embarrass the police? That 72 of their outfits owe GH¢300,000 to Community Water. You better go to the IGP and collect the money.”

The more than GH¢300,000 owed by the 72 police stations and posts has accumulated from water services supplied to the facilities.

The Committee expressed concern that the continued accumulation of unpaid bills could affect the financial operations of the CWSA, particularly if public institutions fail to settle their obligations promptly.

The directive forms part of the PAC's broader scrutiny of outstanding debts owed to public institutions and efforts to ensure that government agencies recover monies due them.