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Eight-five institutions and individuals in the Tamale Metropolis have been hauled before the Tamale District Court by the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), over their non-payment of water bills.
The customers owe a total of GH¢679,765 and have not settled their bills despite disconnections and follow-ups by GWCL, officials of the company said.
Some of the customers who appeared before the court last Tuesday had showed proof of part payment, while others negotiated for paying in instalments from three to six months.
The court, presided over by Derick Annan, slapped a cost ranging from GH¢1,000 to GH¢1,500 against the defaulters for unduly failing to pay the bills.
The case has been adjourned to November 14, 2023.
Counsel for the GWCL, Douglas Kwame Adjei, told the Daily Graphic that the company had served several notices to the customers to settle the bills but they failed to comply, which necessitated the legal action.
He indicated that out of the 85 defaulters, 17 of them who owed a total of GH¢237,747.94 had so far appeared before the court and that the rest would appear in batches.
“The company is really under these debts because they pay electricity bill, salaries and other production cost, so if these monies are locked up it means that it is being crippled.”
The Northern Regional Public Relations Officer of the GWCL, Nii Abbey Nicholas, expressed satisfaction about the outcome of the court hearing and said it would go a long way to serve as a deterrent to others.
He indicated that 31 customers were also being investigated by the police for allegedly engaging in illegal connections, who would be sent to court in the coming days.
