Utility companies in the Upper East Region are threatening to cut supplies to some second cycle institutions there for failing to settle their debts.

The utility companies have complained that the huge debts are having dire effects on their operations.

At a meeting in Bolgatanga with the education authorities, the Ghana Water Company Limited and the Volta River Authority served notice they will disconnect supplies to the second cycle institutions and educational directorates in the region that owe them.

However, the schools say should the utility providers carry out their threat; it will have dire consequences on education in the region.

They say the unavailability of water and electricity will have serious health implications on the students and staff of the schools.

They have appealed to government to help them settle the debts

The Regional Director of Education, Mr Emmamuel S. Zumakpeh, said but for the intervention of the Regional Minister, Mr James Zuugah Tiigah, the intuitions would have been disconnected by now.

He said it was very difficult to understand why the Government, which was paying the bills to the utility agencies should shift the old debts it owed the agencies to the educational institutions to settle.

This is coming at a time when government is proposing a cost sharing approach to settle utility bills in the various government tertiary institutions.

A move the students have vowed to resist.