PURC Advises ECG Consumers to Report Non-Billing Promptly

The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) is calling on electricity consumers to promptly report non-billing issues to the nearest Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) offices to avoid getting accumulated bills.

The Eastern Regional Director of the PURC, Mr Jude Aduamoah-Addo who gave the advice, said the Self-help Project (SHEP) for electricity extension in communities was not free and that once power was supplied, people must pay to sustain the service.

Briefing the media after an outreach education and monitoring to educate consumers on their responsibilities and rights, he said over 105 households in several districts in the region complained about not receiving bills for periods spanning six months to two years.

Most of such complaints were recorded during a sensitization programme at Akyem-Heman and its surrounding communities in the Fanteakwa district and New Jejeti, near Nkawkaw.

He said in some cases due to the accumulation, some of the households have come to his outfit complaining of unrealistic bills but after investigations, realized that they were just given the accumulated bills over a period of time.

The Regional Director said following such complaints they forwarded such households special pin numbers (SPNs) to the ECG and added that through their intervention all the 105 households have received bills now adding it will go a long way in increasing the revenue base of the ECG for efficient delivery.

He appealed to all stakeholders in the power extension programs to collaborate with the PURC and the ECG to ensure that once people were hooked to the power, they paid the commensurate bill without delay.

Mr Aduamoah-Addo assured the public that the PURC would continue to protect the interests of consumers as well as the utility providers for in line with their mandate, to ensure effective services to the public and as well as prompt payment of utility bills.

Most communities are hooked onto the national grid under various government initiatives such as the rural electrification project and often it takes a long time to for rationing to be done to enable the ECG, to track and bill them.

However, some communities in the course of not receiving bills long after having electricity tend to assume that the power was free and so it creates a lot of tension when later ECG presents them with accumulated bills.

---GNA