The Tema Region of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) says it will sustain the nationwide revenue mobilisation exercise, having achieved 60% of its target.

One of the lead for the region, Ing. Dr. George Yaw Marfo who is also a Director at the Managing Director’s office tells Joy Business, the team had a target of ¢600 million.  

“Tema Region had a target of over ¢600 million and we've been able to hit 60% of that target. And I think that if we sustain the momentum, we'll be able to recover all our debt”.

According to him, the team got the impression that customers have the culture of not paying their bills until somebody comes after them.

“So we want to inculcate in them the need to pay their bills by sustaining this exercise for some time. Once a quarter at least we will be going out there to create the awareness”.

The power distributor in March this year announced that it was embarking on a month long revenue mobilisation exercise to recover debt.

This exercise has been described as highly successful.

At closing stages of the exercise, some customers including Giann Towers who owed ¢244,457 and Kunedu Coldstores who had a debt of  ¢247,125 were all disconnected.

At Baastona, there was a special case where Paa Nii Agency which deals in building material had reconnected power illegally having been disconnected earlier.

ECG was forced to disconnect the customer this time around from the electricity lines that feed the area. 

Dr. Marfo indicated that subsequent exercises will be a combination of education and disconnection as the personnel came across a number of issues including some customers not receiving their bills during the disconnection exercise.

ECG used the opportunity to educate customers in such situations to take steps to make payment once they know their consumption pattern.

“Once you know how much you pay every month, just go ahead and pay something but that notwithstanding, we are going to improve on our billing system. Hopefully, with time you will even receive your bill as a text message so that you'll be prompted to go and pay,” he assured.

The disconnection exercise forced some customers who were deemed reluctant to make part payment with others paying in full to have power restored.

This was common among the industries.

“Quite a number of customers especially the factories in Tema had not paid prior to the exercise but started paying during the exercise. Some factories have the habit of investing in something else until the utilities come after them”

Although customers could not escape the wrath of ECG, the company equally attached human face where it entered into debt scheduling with some customers who had difficulty is settling their debt.

There were however instances where ECG staff had challenges accessing some facilities.

ECG is expected to launch its new payment system to the benefit of all parties.