ECG blames recent complaints of debts on some of its meters on reconciliation problem

The Acting Director of Communications of ECG, William Boateng and General Manager/Metering and Technical Services at ECG, Ing Sariel Etwire have addressed concerns from their clients regarding wrong meter reading.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show Wednesday, a caller from Abeka Lapaz, Nana Yaw said after the president’s directive of free electricity to lifeline consumers was lifted after the lockdown, he was enjoying electricity without any tripping.

According to him, he was consuming about ¢60 every month. But on his subsequent bill, he was told he owes ¢800.

Addressing Nana Yaw’s concern, Mrs Etwire said that there may be some reasons behind this which she couldn’t discuss on-air until the issue has been investigated.

“What I can say is that I think he would have to give us records. At least his meter number and account number for us to investigate because this is not how it is supposed to work.”

She explained that the ECG has several systems in place and prepayment meter cuts you off or disconnects when you have run out of money.

“But if for one reason or the other, the disconnector does not work, that is the breaker does not work, you continue to use electricity because we wouldn’t want to inconvenient you.

“When we come round which we do periodically and we investigate and we see that the breaker is not working all the consumption you have used over the period is still there. It hasn’t gone anywhere. So once we get the actual reading of the meter, and we compare it with the amount we have made, then we calculate the rest and it becomes a debt on your system. So that is what I can say for those who are on prepaid that we have this system working.”

Meanwhile, Mr Boateng stressed on the fact that the ECG would have to get the full fact.

“To get the full fact, if we get his account number, we can quickly check,” he said.

Again, Mrs Ewire said 98% of prepaid customers have perfectly functioning meters, while the 2% who have faults with their meters are cumulative and will be addressed by the ECG.

According to her, ECG has technical people who go to the field to rectify the faults people have with their meters. She said that if the meter is faulty, the company replaces them.

“If it’s a part that we need to repair, we do that. So that we address the remaining 2%. I can attest to the fact that we have two million customers. And I don’t think this is the situation that runs across the two million customers.”