PURC commended for swift intervention in utility issues at Tamale

The Public Utility Regulatory Commission’s (PURC) swift response by intervening in recent confrontations between utility providers and consumers of the Tamale Metropolis and Sagnerigu municipality of the Northern Region, which restored peace on numerous occasions – a situation that residents commend the Commission for.

The residents noted that the Commission helped to provide direction on the quality of services and made it possible for most residents to be able to honour their obligations in the payment of arrears owed to power and water producers.

According to them, the intervention by PURC has helped to improve productivity in the metropolis; especially among caterers, hospitality industries and educational institutions.

Some recounted an incident at Koblimagu, a suburb of Tamale, where in 2022 some staff of Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) were manhandled – which degenerated into serious unrest: but the Commission’s intervention provided a firm playing ground for the consumers and utility provider to resolve the issue amicably.

Also, on challenges with the installation of smart meters, there were some levels of resistance within some communities; but the PURC’s intervention to hold community durbars that sensitised the people – and also gathered raw information from the community on reasons for the resistance, was able to unearth some of the fundamental concerns from the communities which were used to advise and guide NEDCo for redress.

This critical role played by the Commission has encouraged media in the region to provide a needed platform and space for the Commission to use in educating the public – while consumers also got an opportunity to call in and air their grievances.

Their presence has brought some improvement, promoting promptness and proactiveness by the utility providers in discharging duties while responding to media and the public swiftly, some told the B&FT.

“PURC has really played a neutral arbitration role between consumers and utility providers, which has been of tremendous help and needs to be commended,” said Ellen Amoakoah, a resident.

The PURC – through an exercise dubbed ‘The month of energy and water conservation’ -educated customers on the need to use energy wisely by using smart appliances and energy-saving bulbs, which will help to save more money as well as increase sustainability.

Manager of PURC Northern Region, Edward Kinsgstony Boduah, said the team has been embarking on this exercise via radio, and in local communities, mosques and churches to propagate the message on energy efficiency and water conservation to consumers of power and water in the region.

Northern Regional Vice Chairman of the Ghana Journalists’ Association (GJA), Nelson Adenuti, encouraged the Commission to intensify information dissemination to the community level – so as to ensure consumers have much knowledge about the various utilities.

He stressed the need for the Commission to engage utility providers on the need to provide a swift response to resolve issues of customers within time.

According to media practitioner Mohammed Gadafi, the current location and proactive nature of engagement with consumers has made the office of PURC more accessible compared to previous times when consumers found it difficult to access the office for any complaint.