48 high schools owe GWCL GH¢1.2m, PURC intervenes to avert disconnection

Forty-Eight (48) Senior High Schools in the Eastern Region owe Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) a total of One million, two hundred and ninety-eight thousand, eight hundred and sixty- seven cedis (GH¢1,298,867) unpaid bills.

GWCL per LI 2413 Regulation 9(1A) lodged complaints against the schools at the Eastern Regional Office of Public Utilities and Regulatory Commission (PURC).

The intervention of the commission has led to a recovery of three hundred and twenty-six thousand, and Ninety-three cedis (GH¢326,093) averting disconnection.

The Eastern Regional Manager of PURC Jude Aduamoah -Addo told Starr News, based on the Commission’s mandate of receiving, investigating and settling disputes between consumers and utility service providers, it received 324 complaints against GWCL and Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) during the first quarter of 2023 which 311 represents resolution percentage of 95.98% was achieved.

The 13 outstanding complaints are at various stages of resolution.

274 of the 324 complaints were against ECG while 50 were against GWCL.

The complaints were basically about billing, payment, poor quality of service, metering, disconnection, damaged properties and consumer service.

55% of the complaints were received via various WhatsApp platforms created by PURC across the region for utility service providers, customers and the regulator.

Complaints of disputed bills reported to PURC by three(3) customers against ECG during the period amounted to twenty-seven thousand nine hundred and sixteen Ghana cedis (GH¢27,916).

Through the intervention of the Commission, ECG passed an adjustment of twenty-seven thousand two hundred and sixty- eight Ghana cedis (GH¢27,268) leaving outstanding balance of six-hundred and Forty-eight Ghana cedis (GH¢648) for the customers to pay.

PURC has declared 2023 the year of “operational efficiency” aimed at ensuring a balance between quality of service delivery and revenue recovery to help both providers and consumers commit to their social contracts.