The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) seeks to establish a Consumer Service Clinic as a platform for utility service customers as part of its responsibility to accept, investigate and resolve utility services complaints. In a statement, Dr Ernest Agyeman of PURC said that customers of Ghana Water Company Limited (GCWL) and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) would use the Consumer Service Clinic as a venue to file grievances.
He noted that since customers would have their grievances filed with the PURC as well as the utility service providers-ECG and GWCL-it was anticipated that such problems would be quickly solved. The first consumer service clinic is expected to open on Friday.
The commission outlined several activities that would take place during the event, including the establishment of complaints desks by the Commission and the regulated utilities to receive consumer complaints;
Staff members assigned to each complaints desk would record all lodged complaints, and the Commission would make sure that all complaints made during the Consumer Service Clinic are resolved to the satisfaction of customers.
The hike in utility prices that became effective on September 1 has alarmed many Accra residents, who claim to have been in a state of shock as a result of the rapidly rising transport fares. The increase in electricity costs would undoubtedly cause an increase in the prices of fish, meat, and sausage, according to Madam Antwi Nyakowaa, owner of a fish store in Accra Central Market.
However, she said it might hurt demand.
“The buyers are always complaining of the existing hike in prices of goods and now the government has increased the tariffs for utility,” she said. Dr Mrs Belinda Yebuah ECG also came out and add that, they’re only serving 4.4 million people in Ghana, but when it comes to Greater Accra region they’re serving 36 million people in Accra and the rest are the Kumasi area.
Story by: Fada Amakye
