Implementation of new electricity billing starts July 1 — Prez Mahama

The implementation of the corrected new electricity billing system will begin on July 1, 2016, President John Dramani Mahama has stated.

He said the defects in the new billing cycle that caused outrage among the public had been corrected.

The President has, therefore, given the assurance that the public would begin to witness some relief in their billings from July 1.

President Mahama gave the assurance when he inspected work on the 100-bed Madina District Hospital under construction, as part of his “Accounting to the people tour” of the Greater Accra Region which resumed on Tuesday.

“Because the electricity billing is done in monthly cycles, they have to start the billing cycle on the first day of the month,” he explained, and asked the public to be patient.

“ I’m sure that a lot of us will see some relief in the electricity bills,” he added.

The government set up an inter-ministerial task force to examine the many complaints of over billing.

President Mahama said the task force had completed its work and the defects had been corrected.

However, he said with power generation shifting to the more expensive gas, it was natural to see some upward adjustment in tariff.

Access to health

On health delivery, the President said the government's determination to improve access to health delivery had resulted in the massive investment in health infrastructure across the country.

He said the hospitals being constructed across the country would add 6,000 new beds to the existing stock.

Besides, he said the new hospitals would create employment for about 15,000 nurses.

The Madina district hospital, which is one of the new batch of district hospitals being constructed by the government, was relocated to a distance away, at Atomic .

President Mahama explained that it was due to unavailability of land within Madina.

Nonetheless, the facility when completed, would still serve the people of Madina, as well as Kwabenya, Ashongman and Dome.

He also stated that the construction of the hospital was providing jobs to a number of people.

Madina Market

Earlier, the President interacted with traders at the Madina Market where he thanked them and the chiefs of the area for the massive welcome they gave him .

He assured the people that Madina would continue to get its fair share of development.

President Mahama also thanked Ghanaians for the massive show of support to him while mourning his late mother.