Government has extended free water and electricity to all Ghanaians for a period of three months.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta in the 2020 mid-year budget review and supplementary estimates for the 2020 financial year to Parliament on Thursday, July 23, 2020.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament, Mr. Ofori-Atta mentioned that it is the responsibility of a caring government to recognize the adverse effects of the coronavirus on its people and that is why government has taken the necessary steps to further absorb the cost of electricity and water for the next three months.
“Mr. Speaker, the reason is simple. It is because we put the concerns and aspirations of the ordinary Ghanaian first. That is also why we further reduced electricity prices by half and completely provided potable water for free for everybody since March this year. And we will extend it for another 3 months. To break it down, it takes a caring government of the people, and with that, I mean, a Government of all the people, to offer cost-free water to all across the country: representing all domestic and commercial customers in Ghana for three months.
“It takes a caring government to be for the people and for business, large and small, to choose to subsidize electricity consumption by 50 percent to 4 million (4,086,286) households and nearly 700,000 (686,522) businesses at a cost of GH¢1.02 billion in three months. And we will extend the coverage for lifeline customers for another 3 months,” he said.
President Akufo-Addo in April this year announced the reduction of electricity tariffs by half and provision of potable water for free to all Ghanaians for the months of April, May, and June to make up for lost income as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
President’s plan for the next three and a half years
Let me reiterate, Mr Speaker, the President’s plan for the next three and a half years.
(i) An unprecedented GH¢100 billion Ghana Cares Obaatanpa Programme to transform and modernise our society
(ii) For the next 6 months:-
a. Reduce CST from 9% to 5%
b. Establish a GH¢2 billion Guarantee Facility to support all sectors of business and job retention
c. Establish an Unemployment Insurance Scheme
d. Create a GH¢100 Fund for Labour and Faith-based organisations for retraining and skills development
e. Increase the CapBuss Programme by GH¢150 million to, among others, facilitate credit of GH¢50 million to support the Creative Arts, the Media
and the Conference of Independent Universities.
f. Retain provision of free water for the next three months
g. Retain free electricity for all life-line customers for the rest of the year.
Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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Ghana is now rising from the dead caused by ndc!!!
The serious NDC government took Ghana to the IMF, this is leadership at it best, Ghanaians an't seen nothing yet, because the best is yet to come. Wait when unemployed Ghanaians start to receive unemployment checks, Ghana is moving forward.
You can feed all the people from now till the voting day; we shall vote against you. Nana you will lose miserably. Your last minute social interventions are just a sham and a well calculated campaign strategy to deceive the unsuspecting voters. All the lies in your campaign strategies are being exposed every other day. I am yet to know what kind of reception Koftown people gave to Nana when he came to cut the sod for the commencement of the Regional hospital.
THIS IS NOT SERIOUS GOVERNMENT, THEY NO THEY HAVENT ACHIEVED ANYTHING MEANINGFUL SO NOW THE WANT TO GIVE US FREE UTILITIES...
Thank you but you will still lose this year!!!! We will surely enjoy the “free” things!!
HE WILL BE MISLED. SOON HE WILL KNOW WHY GHANAIANS ARE WIDE AWAKE. YOU CAN REALLY DO THESE FOR THE CITIZENRY?.. WE NEED JOBS, VILLAGES AND DAMS, DISTRICT AND FACTORIES MR PRESIDENT. WE WON'T BE ***barred word*** ANY LONGER.
MY GHANA IS WORKING, CWAYED3WOO CWAYED3W.AFTER RELEGATING DUM SOR, FREE WATER AND LIFELINE ELECTRICITY POLICY FOR GHANAIANS.
Listening government which care for its people under distress 4more4 NANA all the way