The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has directed the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to address mounting concerns over its prepaid metering system within 48 hours.

The order follows an emergency engagement between the regulator and the power distributor after numerous consumers reported that their prepaid electricity credits were depleting faster than expected.

The Commission has instructed ECG to submit a comprehensive report explaining the cause of the problem and detailing corrective measures being implemented to resolve the issue.

According to PURC, the intervention is intended to protect consumers and restore confidence in the prepaid vending and metering system. The regulator has also signalled its readiness to enforce further action if the situation is not promptly resolved.

Speaking on Channel One TV on Thursday, February 26, Acting Executive Secretary of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission, Dr Shafic Suleman, said consumer protection remains the Commission’s top priority.

“The consumer must be protected, safeguarded and be able to have equal access to ECG and that is the focus. ECG is supposed to work timeously to solve the problem,” he said.

Dr Suleman expressed optimism that ECG would respond swiftly but cautioned that the Commission would not hesitate to invoke the appropriate legal measures should the company fail to comply with the directive.