A non-governmental organisation, Water for Rural Africa (WRA), has lauded the government for taking the initiative to absolve water tariffs for citizens for the next three months amid the coronavirus lockdown.

According to WRA, the move will “cushion the citizenry at this trying time” as they try to comply with measures advised by health experts to help curb the spread of Covid-19 in the country.

On Sunday, President Akufo-Addo in his latest address on the coronavirus pandemic announced some incentives for the populace including the provision of food for deprived communities, businesses, and Ghanaians as a whole which included bearing the cost of water for consumers across the country for May, June and July 2020.

While acknowledging the development, the NGO also drew the attention of government to the fact that many “Ghanaians are not connected to water supply directly from Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL).”

“Government must ensure that private water retail providers allow the public to access water for free or perhaps with drastic reduction to support the slum dwellers to feel the impact of the intervention. If this is not enforced, the initiative will only impact the elites in the society who are mostly connected to GWCL or with mechanised borehole water supply at home,” WRA said in an April 6 statement.

In the press release, Water for Rural Africa encouraged the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) “to keep up the good work and avoid going into water rationing at a time like this, since this will certainly defeat all the purpose of the president’s directive.”

It also called for the rehabilitation of pumps and pipes that are dysfunctional to expand the reach of supply.