By Peter Agengre
The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) says its doors are always open to welcome complaints and suggestions from utility consumers.
According to the commission, such suggestions and complaints would help the utility companies to improve their service delivery to the consumer.
Speaking at a tariff engagement with students of St. John Bosco College of Education at Navrongo in the Upper East Region, the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Ishmael Ackah told the students to use the appropriate channels to address their utility concerns.
The Tariff Education forms part of the PURC stakeholders’ engagement which seeks to enlighten the students on the activities of the Commission and to aid them in managing their utility consumption. The executive secretary of PURC Dr. Ismael Ackah observed that there are misconceptions surrounding the work of the Commission and hopes that the education will clear those inaccuracies.
“This year is our year of operational efficiency. We are going round to educate and engage many stakeholders to understand what we do and get feedback from them on activities we implement and some recommendations.”
“The people think that PURC just sits somewhere and adjust tariffs as and when we want it. So through these platforms, we are able to educate them that tariff adjustments are determined by several factors, including the price of natural gas, exchange rate, hydrothermal mix, and inflation.” Dr. Ackah explained.
The PURC says illegal connections in water and electricity are crippling their smooth operations in the country. According to Dr. Ackah, they were concerned about how consumers try to find solutions to issues that bother them, ranging from tariff increment, power fluctuations, and settlement of bills.
“Utility companies have rolled out some payment plans to help consumers spread their bills and pay until they are exhausted. So consumers should take advantage of that and pay their accumulated bills. Most students in the various schools engage in lots of utility activities that are considered illegal. These illegal connections rather put the utility providers in debt so we are asking the students to pass on the little knowledge they have gained here to their friends and families so as to ensure utility preservation in their homes and communities,” Dr. Ackah requested.
