Refund of electricity bills based on the recently increased. 79 per cent tariff which was reduced by 25 per cent begins this month.

That was announced by the Divisional Manager in charge of Public Relations of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Mr William Boateng, at Koforidua.

The Public Utilities and Regulatory Commission (PURC) recently upped tariffs by 79% which led to

labour agitations, forcing the government to come in as a result of which the tariffs were slashed by 25 per cent.

However, to enable the ECG to be on its feet financially to continue with its services, the government decided to absorb the 25 per cent shortfall and reimburse the ECG.

In an encounter with the media, Mr Boateng said consumers would have the refunds reflected on their December receipts and that of the subsequent months depending on the period of future purchases of the utility.

He, therefore, allayed fears that payments for the reduction would not be implemented.

Mr Boateng, who did not elaborate on the circumstances leading to the increases, however, indicated that the government’s intervention had brought peace and at the same time provided a guaranteed fund to enable the ECG to perform creditably.

In answer to a question on street lights, Mr. Boateng explained that installation and maintenance of such lights were not the responsibility of the ECG but rather the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies, adding that the ECG only gave technical advice.

The acting Eastern Regional Manager of the ECG, Mr Abraham Abebrese Anokye, briefed the gathering on a number of substations and other projects the company was currently undertaking in the region to improve service delivery.

These included two primary substations in Koforidua, 33kv switching/primary station at Suhum, renovation of the Akwatia Bulk Supply Point and the construction of a double circuit line linking Tafo, Koforidua and Bunso which had been completed.

He indicated that although his outfit was going the extra mile to better serve the people, frequent thefts of the company’s copper conductors were adversely affecting its operations and called on the public to help apprehend the culprits.

Aluminum replaces copper

The ECG, he stated, was on the other hand replacing the copper conductors with that of aluminum which was not attractive to the thieves.

He also called on consumers to regularly pay their bills to make it possible for the company to generate