By Nneka Nwogwugwu
Ghana government has advised Nigeria’s utility firms to learn from their water company, which is said to be more customer friendly in the discharge of their services.
A top functionary in Ghana policy making agency who pleaded anonymity, told Platforms Africa that Nigerians should learn from Ghana’s water company.
“Our water people are giving us more than a week notice. Nigerian utility people should learn. I am not sure if you can make a story out of this,” the public officer stated.
The public servant gave this advise while reacting to a four-day water supply interruption in Tema region.
The policy making officer bragged that Ghana Water Company Limited while announcing the interruption, gave Ghanaians a week notice to prepare for the scarcity, implying that Nigeria don’t notify citizens before interrupting water supply.
The Acting Regional Chief Manager of Ghana Water Company Limited, MacDoe Hanyabui, had announced that the interruption to all the affected customers would affect, among others, the Tema General Hospital, Tema Industrial, Timber Market, Tema Communities 1-12 as well as VRA.
Hanyabui said the water interruption could “cause inconvenience” particularly scarcity of the essential commodity.
In he letter with reference number RCM/02/Vol 1.01 issued on April 12, 2020, the utility company advised the “customers to store enough water before the interruption.”
“The Management of Ghana Water Company – Tema region – wishes to respectively inform its cherished customers that there will be an interruption in water supply from Tuesday, 20th — 23 rd April, 2021, for routine maintenance works on 42nd transmission pipeline from Kpong Treatment plant.”
It listed the affected areas to include Tema General Hospital, Tema Industrial, Tema Community 1-12, Tema New Town, Tumber Market and pars of VRA, Saki, Community 25 aming others.
“Supply will be restored as soon as the maintenance work is completed. Any inconvinience caused is deeply regretted,” the letter stated.