PURC embarks on public education

Kumasi, Sept. 18, GNA- The Ashanti Regional office of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has embarked on a massive campaign to educate the public on the activities of the Commission. As part of the campaign, the Commission has begun an outreach programme in some second cycle institutions to sensitise the students to appreciate its work.

In addition, the Commission was also trying to put together a vibrant radio and community outreach programmes as part of the educational campaign in order to reach more people.

Mr Mashoud Isahaku, Ashanti Regional Manager, who made this known in an interview in Kumasi on Monday, said the exercise was to sensitise the public on what was expected of them as consumers of public utilities. He said his office had been inundated with numerous complaints, some of which should have been directed first to the utility provider concerned. Mr Isahaku pointed out that, it was after unsuccessful attempts to seek redress from the utility provider, that the consumer could go to the Commission with a complaint, adding that, there was a huge problem in terms of the knowledge of the work of the Commission. He blamed the frequent complaints and litigations between consumers and utility providers on laxity in terms of supervision on the part of the providers and urged them to be more proactive in solving some of the complaints.

Mr Isahaku said apart from approving tariffs for utility providers and receiving complaints from consumers, the Commission also monitors the operations of the providers and ensured that they provide quality services to consumers. He said frequent disconnections and tariff discrepancies were some of the major complaints received from consumers. The Regional Manager hoped the education campaign would go a long way to empower consumers in the Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions to know their rights and responsibilities.