PURC tasks PDS, GWCL to educate public on new tariffs
The Director of Regional Operations of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), Alhaji Jabaru Abukari, has called on the Power Distribution Service (PDS) and the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) to educate the public on the new tariffs to prevent possible misunderstandings.
He said the new tariffs would generate reactions among the populace, hence it was necessary to sensitise the public and make them understand the adjustments to ensure customer satisfaction and cooperation.
“I urge you to intensify your educational activities to sensitise customers and adequately give explanations to queries from customers on the need to pay bills promptly, so that there would be no misunderstandings, rather cooperation,” he stated.
Alhaji Abukari gave the admonition when he paid a working visit to the offices of the PDS and GWCL in the Eastern Region here on Tuesday.
The meeting served as a platform for him to interact with the management of the two utility service providers in the region after the 2019 tariff adjustment, and get feedbacks on their activities and challenges to reinforce the trio’s good working relationship.
Alhaji Abukari explained that sometimes customers were not educated well when there were change in tariffs, adding that such situations created misunderstandings, which later lead to unhealthy confrontation between customers and utility service providers.
He, therefore, stressed the need to adequately educate customers to ensure peace and cooperation.
He tasked the two utility companies to be proactive in developing modern ways of revenue collection that would enable them collect 98 per cent of customers’ bills.
“I urge you to follow due process in revenue collection by writing to defaulters and to give them payment plans and disconnect those who default from the payment schedule,” he said.
On his part, the Eastern Regional Manager of PURC, Mr Jude Adumoah-Addo commended the two utility companies for their timely resolution of complaints.
He revealed that out of the 818 complaints received by the PURC against PDS, 764 were resolved, adding, “182 complaints have been received against GWCL, out of which 181 were resolved.”
He urged them to continue the good work to ensure customer satisfaction.
The Eastern Regional Manager of PDS, Mr Michael Baah, was thankful to the PURC for their role in regulating their activities and called on them to continue to assist the PDS to work effectively in satisfying its customers.
The Eastern Regional Chief Manager of GWCL, Mr Dwamena Boateng also expressed appreciation for the role PURC has played in helping the GWCL to deliver on its mandate.
He however revealed that power outages and lack of distribution lines were major obstacles to delivering satisfactory customer service and called on management of the PURC and PDS to intervene.
FROM AMA TEKYIWAA AMPADU AGYEMAN, KOFORIDUA
