The Bono East Regional Office of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has raised concerns over the growing use of unapproved electricity meters in the region, warning that the practice is significantly affecting the revenues of utility providers, particularly the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo).

According to the Regional Manager, Cassiel Eghan Asiedu, the market has been infiltrated by substandard and unauthorised meters that do not originate from NEDCo or the Ministry of Energy. He cautioned residents to avoid buying meters from private individuals, stressing that such transactions are illegal and detrimental to national utility operations.

“We have become aware of some persons going around selling unapproved meters to unsuspecting residents of the region. This action is illegal and badly affecting the revenue of NEDCo,” Mr. Asiedu stated.

“We urge prospective customers to visit the utility directly for service connections and desist from buying from private persons,” he added.

Credit Adjustments and Consumer Redress

Speaking during the PURC’s mid-year review, Mr. Asiedu reported that the Commission facilitated credit adjustments totalling GHC79,253.91 in favour of customers who reported billing anomalies. Additionally, the Commission helped NEDCo recover GHC21,991.47 from customers during the first half of the year.

He disclosed that the Commission received 826 complaints from both utility companies and consumers, successfully resolving 791 cases, representing a 95.76% resolution rate.

Quality of Service Tops Complaints

According to the PURC, quality of service remains the dominant issue, accounting for 91.64% of total complaints lodged by consumers in the Bono East Region.

As part of efforts to bridge the gap between utilities and consumers, Mr. Asiedu highlighted that over 32,000 customers were reached through public education campaigns. These initiatives have made it easier for residents to understand their rights and channel their grievances to the Commission.

Sustaining Engagements and Enforcement

Looking ahead, the PURC says it will consolidate its gains by maintaining transparent stakeholder engagements and strictly enforcing service quality benchmarks.

Mr. Asiedu reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to protecting the interests of both consumers and utility providers, calling for collaborative efforts to curb the proliferation of illegal meters and safeguard the integrity of Ghana’s utility sector.