The Eastern Regional Office of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) resolved 803 out of 818 complaints received during the first half of the year, achieving a 98.2 per cent resolution rate.
The complaints, mostly against the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Ghana Water Limited (GWL), covered issues including poor service quality, billing, metering, payment, disconnections and customer service delivery.
The Eastern Regional Manager of PURC, Miss Kesewaa Appenteng-Addo, who disclosed this in an interview with The Ghanaian Times yesterday, said that ECG accounted for 716 complaints, representing 87.5 per cent of the total, while GWL recorded 89 complaints, representing 10.9 per cent.
The remaining 13 complaints, representing 1.6 per cent, were filed by utility providers against consumers, she added.
According to her, quality-of-service issues constituted the highest number of complaints, accounting for 84.8 per cent of all cases received.
The major concerns included power outages, voltage fluctuations, phase-offs, water flow interruptions, pipe bursts and leakages.
Through PURC’s intervention, ECG and GWL recovered GH¢21,294.64 in outstanding utility bills from five customers.
She said the Commission also facilitated infrastructure improvements to enhance service delivery, including the replacement of seven electricity poles and two transformers at a cost of GH¢229,139.45.
In addition, water supply was restored to residents of Agavenya in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality after a prolonged disruption caused by road construction works.
“The Commission also undertook monitoring exercises in 45 communities and 40 small and medium-scale enterprises across several districts, including Akim Oda, Kade, Akwatia, Mpraeso, Nkawkaw, Kibi, New Abirem, Akim Tafo and Asamankese,” she said.
To improve access to its complaint resolution services, PURC organised nine complaint clinics in communities including Suhum New Town, Adarkwah, Potroase and Christian Village, attracting 399 participants and receiving 60 complaints.
Ms Appenteng-Addo noted that estimated billing, non-delivery of bills and frequent phase-offs were the dominant concerns raised.
The Commission’s Consumer Service Committees in Donkorkrom and Maame Krobo also embarked on public education and complaint clinics in 12 communities, engaging 382 participants and receiving 28 complaints.
FROM AMA TEKYIWAA AMPADU AGYEMAN, KOFORIDUA
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