Ghana: PURC Pledges Consumer Safeguards Ahead Of ECG Meter Audit

Ghana’s Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has assured electricity consumers that it will scrutinise a planned nationwide meter audit by the state-owned Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to ensure adequate safeguards are in place.

PURC Executive Secretary Shafic Suleman said the regulator would review the audit framework and hold further discussions with ECG to protect consumers throughout the exercise.

He said the commission would also consider publishing a simplified version of the framework to help consumers understand the audit’s objectives, procedures and potential implications before it begins.

“We will be engaging ECG further to ensure that in the audit framework, whatever we think the consumer needs to know, we will make it available for the consumer to know,” Suleman said, according to a report by Citinewsroom.

“At the same time, PURC is going to scrutinise the framework once again to ensure that it doesn’t affect the consumer negatively.”

ECG announced on Tuesday, October 20, that it would soon begin a nationwide meter audit across its operational areas to reduce commercial losses, improve revenue collection and combat electricity theft.

The exercise will involve inspecting and verifying prepaid and postpaid meters, Special Load Tariff (SLT) installations and associated wiring to check the integrity of metering systems and ensure accurate measurement and billing of electricity consumption.

ECG said its announcement constituted official notice of the exercise and that it would not issue separate notices, appointment letters or advance notifications.

It urged customers, landlords, estate managers, property managers, facility managers and security personnel to allow authorised ECG personnel access without requiring a separate notification letter.