The Volta Regional Manager of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), Philip Agbezudor, has reflected on the challenges and achievements of 2024, urging residents of the Volta Region to adopt prudent practices in electricity and water usage.

Speaking at the PURC's end-of-year get-together with stakeholders, staff, and the media at Hotel Stevens in Ho, Mr Agbezudor provided a comprehensive account of the year's activities and set forth a forward-looking message for 2025.

According to Mr Agbezudor, PURC recorded over 1,000 complaints from residents concerning electricity and water services.

The bulk of these complaints were related to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), primarily involving service quality issues such as outages and phase imbalances. However, through close collaboration with ECG, the commission resolved more than 96 per cent of the complaints.

“Once the customers are happy and satisfied, it means all of us can be satisfied,” Mr Agbezudor noted, emphasizing PURC’s commitment to consumer welfare.

In addition to resolving complaints, the PURC exceeded its educational outreach goals. “I set a target of 150 educational programmes for my public relations team, and they exceeded this expectation,” he revealed. The outreach aimed to inform residents about their rights and responsibilities concerning utility services.

Highlighting the risks posed by the harmattan season, Mr Agbezudor cautioned against setting naked fires, which often lead to the destruction of electricity poles.

He revealed that replacing a single high-tension pole costs over GH₵6,000, money that could otherwise be used to extend electricity to under-served areas.

“We must preserve these poles instead of destroying them with fires. It’s disheartening to see poles burned even within towns,” he lamented. Mr Agbezudor also called for stricter law enforcement to deter such acts, expressing interest in using offenders as examples to curb the menace.

On water-related issues, the Volta Regional Commercial Manager of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), Wisdom Semevor urged residents to store water during periods of supply and report burst pipelines.

He disclosed that non-revenue water loss in the region currently stands at 48 per cent, meaning nearly half of the water produced is unaccounted for due to bursts and unreported leakages.

“When you see a burst pipeline, report it immediately. Failure to do so leads to significant water wastage and it affects revenue collection,” Mr Semevor explained.

Both PURC and its partner institutions emphasised the importance of consumer responsibility in ensuring efficient service delivery.

Mr Agbezudor encouraged residents to pay utility bills promptly within 14 days of issuance to avoid disconnection, report issues such as power outages, water shortages, or damaged infrastructure to PURC's complaint line: 0240202016/4780, be mindful of fire hazards and protect electricity poles and transformers from damage.

The Ho District Manager of ECG, Ing. Mac Eckor also called on residents to report illegal activities such as electricity theft and bush fires that destroy utility infrastructure.

As PURC and its partners look ahead to 2025, they remain committed to enhancing service delivery through community engagement, education, and stricter enforcement of regulations.

“Let us all play our part to ensure reliable electricity and water supply for the region,” Mr Agbezudor concluded.

The event served as a platform to celebrate achievements, address challenges, and rally stakeholders toward a common goal of improving utility services for all residents in the Volta Region.