ECG fined over Ghc200,000 for breaching laws

The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), has slapped the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), with a fine of Gh¢ 202,640.00 for breaching laws regarding the sale and purchase prepaid of meters.

According to the PURC, the ECG breached LI 1861 and LI 1935.

“The PURC as the regulator of water and electricity services wishes to indicate that the commission has the mandate to protect the interest of the consumer and ensure the financial viability of the utility service provider and we will tip this balance carefully and equitably by using all the relevant Laws and Regulations available to assist us fulfill our regulatory mandate,” a statement issued by the PURC said.

The statement further indicated that the penalty also “covers the Electricity Company of Ghana's (ECG) refusal to provide contingency measures to ensure customers of pre-payment metering could proceed to buy credits during the industrial strike which was embarked on by ECG workers in the first week of September.”

The PURC further indicated that failure by the ECG to comply with this order shall attract an additional 10,000 cedis for each day of noncompliance to the order.

In April, the PURC fined the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) for making scores of customers pay more for power due to faulty meters.

The PURC's Director of Public Affairs and External Relations, Nana Yaa Jantuah, said the fine slapped on the ECG will compel it to address these challenges.

“The law says that they should be punished if they refuse to change these meters. There are some meters which are failing and it is even different from the software issue. For instance you will be there and they will come and slap you with some ridiculous amount and if you are unable to pay within a certain number of days they say they have blocked you. That one is not a software thing, it means there is a failure and the meter might not even be prompting you.”

Background
It would be recalled that customers of ECG who were using prepaid metering service were unable to purchase credits at the beginning of September 2016 because ECG workers embarked on a strike over plans to cede operations of the Company to private partners.

The striking workers reportedly turned away customers who came to the centres to pay their bills.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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