COVID-19 free water and light: GH1.2bn released as part payment to ECG and GWCL
- The Ministry of Finance has released GH¢1.2 billion as part payment for the COVID-19 free electricity and water supply
- ECG has received at least GH¢1 billion as part payment for the free power it supplied to the general public
- GWCL has also received about GH¢180 million for their services during that time
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GH¢1.2 billion has been released by the Ministry of Finance as part payment for the COVID-19 free electricity and water supply.
In March 2020, to ensure that Ghanaians complied with the safety protocols to prevent the unnecessary spread of the coronavirus disease, government made provision for free electricity and water for all.
The intention of government to make these basic utilities free was to ease the financial burden and hardship as a result of the coronavirus.
Source: Facebook
The free electricity and water formed part of the many social interventions rolled out by government.
The Electricity Company of Ghana, ECG, has received at least GH¢1 billion as part payment for the free power it supplied to the general public.
The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), on the other hand, has received about GH¢180 million for their services during that time.
According to a report filed by Graphic.com.gh, the Finance minister designate, Ken Ofori-Atta, had budgeted GH¢1.8 billion for the provision of free electricity and water.
The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, announced during his presentation of the 2020 mid-year budget to Parliament that Ghanaians will enjoy three more months of free water and electricity supply.
According to the him, the free water was to be enjoyed by all consumers and the free electricity will be enjoyed by lifeline consumers.
This announcement brought to six months of free supply of the water and electricity that had been subsidised to help consumers cope with the economic challenges from the novel coronavirus.
In other news, Ghana has been earmarked as one of the 145 counties of the UN-led COVAX Facility, to take delivery of 2.4 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine which is licensed to the Serum Institute of India (AZ/SII).
On Wednesday, February 3, the facility announced that the delivery is estimated to begin before the end of February.
The vaccine is expected to be administered to persons in key sectors such as health workers in the first quarter.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
