Residents in the Volta and Oti Regions have raised high concerns about the quality of utility services being received from the two main service providers, especially the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), as indicated by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC).
The PURC Volta/Oti Regional Office, in its 2024 Mid-year Report, highlighted that over 90 percent of the about 700 complaints received were concerning the ‘poor quality of service’, followed by ‘overbilling’ issues and faulty metres.
The Volta Regional Office, in the first half of the year, received a total of 699 complaints filed against the ECG and Ghana Water Limited (GWL). However, out of this, 671 complaints – representing 96 Percent – were resolved during the period.
The majority of the complaints, a whopping 652 – representing 93.28 percent of the total complaints, were against the ECG; whereas 47 complaints, representing 6.72 percent, were reported against the GWL.
“Complaints lodged with the commission indicate that 90.84 percent of the complaints received were about ‘quality-of-service supply. Next is billing, with 6.15 percent mainly due to overbilling and bulk billing, followed by ‘metring’ – with 1 percent as a result of faulty metres. In fourth place are ‘payments’ and ‘consumer service delivery (CSD)’ at 0.72 percent each. Unlawful disconnection at 0.42 percent, and others at 0.14 percent,” the PURC stated.
While about 96 percent of the complaints were resolved during the period, the unresolved complaints -which form four percent – are at various stages of resolution.
ECG resolved 627 complaints, making 96.17 percent out of the 652 complaints lodged against it. Of the 47 complaints filed against it, the GWL responded to 44 of them constituting 93.62 percent.
The PURC offices received complaints from various sources, including reports on the field, written complaints to its offices, phone-ins, walk-ins and electronic media.
PURC monitoring and public education activities
The PURC, to enshrine its oversight duties and increase public awareness of utility issues, during the period under review, monitored 28 communities in five operational districts and 22 industries in eight districts to evaluate the performances of the ECG and GWL under three key criteria, namely: metre reading/bill delivery, customer care and service delivery.
For instance, in the Keta Operational District, Anyanui, Anloga, Tegbi, Woe, Keta and Kedzi were all engaged. In the Denu District also, Anlo, Afiadenyigba Zume, Adafienu, Dzodze, Penyi, Ave Dakpa, Ave Dzalele were engaged.
Industrial monitoring
The Volta Regional Office of the commission also embarked on an industrial monitoring exercise in the Volta and Oti Regions from 22nd to 26th April, 2024 as part of its regulatory duties to monitor and enforce standards of performance for the provision of utility services as well as to protect the interest of consumers. The exercise took place in the Hohoe, Kpando, Jasikan, Dambai, Sogakofe, Denu, Kpeve, Keta and Ho.
The monitoring exercise was to ascertain the service reliability of power and water supply as well as to be informed and up to speed with utility concerns, such as prompt payment of bills among others.
District customer service center (utility) monitoring
The PURC also monitored 10 district offices of the regulated utility companies. There were six district offices of the ECG and four GWL offices.
The objective of the programme was to determine the utility companies’ adherence to PURC’s benchmarks for the provision of quality customer service.
“Our commitment to effective complaints management, robust public education, diligent regulatory monitoring and timely interventions is unwavering. We value your feedback and encourage you to stay engaged with us. Together, we can build a more reliable and efficient utility service framework.”