The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament has received a request from the Accra-based Oyibi Area Water and Sanitation Scheme Chairman, pleading with the government to reimburse the scheme for the over GH₵300,000 that is still outstanding.
According to Samuel Joe Appiah Danquah, the company in question was one of many hired by the government to provide free water to the general public during the COVID-19 outbreak.
But after the outbreak, he claimed, the government has refused to settle its debt, which is seriously hurting their company. When he went before PAC on February 5, he made this argument.
Mr. Danquah added, “I want to implore you, beg your people to assist us in resolving the minor issue that Oyibi Area Water is experiencing.
“We need our money because we are one of the schemes that was asked to provide free water during the COVID and as of right now, we have not received payment of GH₵300,000 plus. We are struggling.”
Amidu Issahaku Chinnia, the deputy minister of sanitation and water resources who was also present at the committee meeting, stated he was unaware of the Finance Ministry’s release of cash to pay off the debt.
He did, however, pledge to investigate the situation and take the necessary steps.
In the meantime, Dr. James Klutse Avedzi, the Public Accounts Committee Chairman, suggested that the Ministry pay up the debt right away.
The government claimed to have spent GH₵1 billion in 2020 to cover a significant 50% of all electricity costs for both residential and commercial users, as well as to give free electricity to those who are on life support.
Once more, the government imposed the COVID-19 Health Levy in 2021 with the intention of paying for medical expenses, including the price of the free water provided to Ghanaians throughout the pandemic.
