The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has identified utility theft as a major setback in the operations of service providers.
The utility regulator said steps are being taken to avert such threats as recent reports indicate that the menace is high in the Ashanti Region.
The Executive secretary of PURC, Ishmael Ackah, who was speaking at the maiden consumer service clinic in Kumasi wants consumers who are unable to pay for utility to visit the service providers for a payment plan.
“If we do not pay for the power, the utility providers will not get the money to provide the services,” he said. “Illegal connection is almost everywhere. ECG is doing their best in clamping down on these, but I will entreat consumers, that there’s no need in engaging in illegal connection. If the bills are too high, engage them, have a payment plan and pay small small.”
He warned that culprits who are apprehended in utility theft will face the full rigours of the law.
Responding to complaints by some small and medium scale enterprises who feel sidelined by the tariff subsidies given to SMEs, Ackah urged them to apply for non-residential meters in order to be identified as non-residential consumers in order to enjoy the tariff subsidy
“SMEs are to have commercial meters, so they should apply to ECG for these meters, so that ECG can identify them as commercial customers for them to benefit from these subsidies,” he said.
Ackah also launched the tariff reckoner – a calculator application to guide utility consumers in their tariff purchases.
The tariff reckoner, according to him, will allow consumers to calculate the watts an individual is entitled to equivalent to the amount of money needed.
Irene Pomaa Kumi
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