The Volta Regional Office of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), has successfully resolved 96% of the 699 complaints lodged against the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Ghana Water Limited (GWL) during the first half of 2024.

The office, dedicated to addressing consumer grievances and enhancing utility services, has demonstrated a strong commitment to efficient complaint resolution and public education.

Breakdown of Complaints and Resolutions

Out of the 699 complaints received, 652 were filed against the ECG, with 627 (96.17%) resolved. The GWL saw 47 complaints, of which 44 (93.62%) were addressed.  According to the Volta Regional PURC Director, Philip Agbezudor, the remaining 4% of unresolved cases are at various stages of resolution.

Quality-of-service supply issues dominated the complaints, accounting for 90.84% of the total. Other concerns included Billing (6.15%), Metering (1.00%), Payments (0.72%), Consumer Service Delivery (0.72%), Unlawful Disconnection (0.42%), and miscellaneous issues (0.14%).

Sources of Complaints

Mr Philip Agbezudoe noted that electronic media, including WhatsApp and Email, were the primary channels for complaints, representing 81.54% of the total. Phone-ins accounted for 13.30%, walk-ins for 2.29%, field complaints for 2.15%, and written complaints 0.72%.

Monitoring and Public Education Initiatives

The office monitored twenty-eight communities across five operational districts and twenty-two industries in eight districts. These monitoring activities assessed meter readings, bill delivery, customer care, and service delivery. The areas monitored included Keta, Denu, Kpeve, Akatsi, and Sogakope.

Mr Agbezudor mentioned that public education was a key focus, with the office engaging 2,397 consumers through 66 programmes. These included community education, radio outreach, and sessions with religious bodies and district assemblies. Notably, radio programmes reached a broad audience, using 14 stations to discuss consumer rights, complaints procedures, and the impact of bush fires on utility services.

Special Initiatives and Industrial Monitoring

In response to power outages caused by bush fires, the office launched the "Save ECG Poles and Installations" campaign, educating communities on the dangers of bush fires near electrical poles. This initiative covered 34 communities and emphasized the importance of creating fire belts to protect infrastructure.

Additionally, the office conducted industrial monitoring from April 22-26, 2024, in the Volta and Oti regions. This exercise aimed to ensure service reliability and address utility concerns, including timely bill payments.

Regulatory Engagement

The office held regulatory engagements with ten district offices of the regulated utility companies, covering four ECG and four GWL districts. These sessions discussed the roles and functions of the Commission, the Complaints Resolution Satisfaction Index (CRSI), the Ghana Utilities Performance Index (GUPI), and feedback from monitoring programmes. A total of 201 staff from the regulated utilities attended these sessions.

The Volta Regional PURC office remains dedicated to effective complaints management, robust public education, and diligent regulatory monitoring. These efforts collectively enhance the quality of electricity and water services provided to consumers.

The office values feedback and encourages ongoing engagement with the community to build a more reliable and efficient utility service framework.