The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has been ordered by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) to compensate customers affected by a prepaid vending and metering glitch.
According to the PURC, the directive is in violation of the ECG’s statutory obligations.
The ECG had ruled out any payment of compensation in the aftermath of a vending failure in its prepayment system that had affected customers for the past week, adding that such a decision would be made on a case-by-case basis.
However, the PURC stated today, Tuesday, October 4, 2022, that “it hereby orders ECG to pay compensation to the affected customers.”
This, it claims, is in accordance with the law and demonstrates good customer service.
These compensations will take the form of a one-time electricity credit beginning October 1, 2022, and ending October 7, 2022.
Life consumers will receive GHS 15 credit equivalent, while residential and non-residential consumers will receive GHS 120 and GHS 240, respectively.
Also read: We are unable to provide any compensation for affected customers -ECG
As a demonstration of responsive customer service, commercial and industrial institutions will be compensated with penalty units worth GHS 480 and 1,200.
Customers in Volta, Takoradi, Tema, Cape Coast, Kasoa, Winneba, Swedru, Koforidua, Nkwakaw, and Tafo will benefit from the compensation.
The utility service provider must also take immediate steps to increase staff output and customer responsiveness, such as extending working hours at all affected locations to 8 p.m. and hiring temporary workers to ensure that affected customers are quickly attended to and receive approved compensation by the deadline.
“ECG will issue widespread notifications informing customers of their right to compensation.” “For the purposes of regulatory monitoring, ECG shall maintain accurate records of measures taken to comply with this order, including the number of temporary staff engaged (if any),” the PURC added in a statement.
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