On the first day of a two-week revenue mobilisation exercise, the Electricity Company of Ghana’s Western Region office recovered over GH3 million from defaulting customers in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis, out of a debt of GH8 million.
Other customers who were unable to reach an agreement on a repayment plan had their power cut off.
The Western Region’s Revenue Mobilisation Taskforce, with assistance from the National Taskforce, has begun a two-week debt recovery operation in the Region.
The team will work with all defaulting customers to recover their debts while also inspecting the integrity of their service meters to ensure they are paying for the correct amount of energy consumed.
Customers will be required to pay on the spot, agree on a debt repayment schedule, or have their electricity supply disconnected.
Emmanuel Sam, ECG’s Western Region Commercial Manager, stated that the company is in dire financial straits and will recover every debt owed to it.
“In order for customers in the Region to have an uninterrupted power supply, we must raise and honor a payment of GH30 million every week, which translates to GH6 million per day.” And if we are unable to raise that, there is a risk.
“As I speak, we are in jeopardy due to our debt portfolio.” For the SLTs, we are doing close to 80 per cent of payment. However, we are struggling to reach even 60% for Non-SLTs, which include small and medium-sized businesses and residences. This means we need to step up our game because if we don’t, there will come a time when we won’t be able to serve our customers. As a result, this exercise is critical.”
After seeing the mobilization team, John Bitar raised a cheque for GH1.4 million to pay off its GH1.3 million debt. Takoradi Technical University paid GH700,000 of its GH3.9 million debt and agreed to honor a debt.
After seeing the mobilization team, John Bitar raised a cheque for GH1.4 million to pay off its GH1.3 million debt.
The Takoradi Technical University paid GH¢700,000 out of its debt of GH¢3.9 million and agreed to honor a debt schedule for repayment as well as an undisclosed sum from Anaji Shopping.
It disconnected Grand Favour Hotel from the national power grid, however, due to its inability to pay its GH300,000 debt.
Other companies, including the Port of Takoradi, Ghana Gas, the Bank of Ghana, and the Ghana Water Company Limited, paid a significant portion of their debts and agreed to a debt repayment schedule.
“It’s unfortunate that these entities are acting in this manner. We always hope that they are prompt in paying their bills and debts owed to us.
While warning prospective ECG customers not to fall victim to bad nuts within the company, John Quayson-Dadzie, Western Regional Acting Manager of the Electricity Company, advised that prospective customers should avoid payment for promised temporary metres or demand receipt for all payments.
“Because we do not provide temporary metres to prospective customers, any ECG staff who promises a customer a temporary metre is out to deceive the prospective customer.” Instead of making a payment, the customer should report such an offense. “Once again, all payments to ECG must be receipted, and customers must insist on it,” he said.
Unlike the numerous tempering of metres detected in the Greater Accra Region and large defaults leading to disconnections, the ECG task force’s exercise in Sekondi-Takoradi was largely successful.
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“This exercise focuses on those who have been obstinate in repaying their debts to us. So, what we’re going to do now is hope that those who have settled everything pay on time in the future so that we don’t end up in this situation again.”
“And for those who were unable to pay everything, most of whom paid 60 per cent, we have given them a debt schedule that is very friendly, and we expect them to honor the arrangement.”
ECG’s Western Region Revenue Protection Manager, John Quayson, stated that anyone who provides credible information that leads to the arrest of customers who are illegally using electricity will receive 6% of the monies recovered.
“We want to assure anyone who provides such valuable information that their identity will never be revealed.”
“And that their reward will come quickly. We want to serve our customers better, and we want our customers to help us do so. So, if they become aware of anything that will impede this, they should notify us immediately.”
Source: 3news
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