In a bid to resolve the long-standing issues between the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the residents of Adidome in the Central Tongu district of the Volta region, the ECG management team met with stakeholders and residents over the weekend to address their concerns and offer support.
The meeting provided a platform for residents to express their frustrations and worries about high electricity bills, metering issues, and alleged misconduct by some ECG staff members in the area.
Ms Eunice Tweneboah-Kodua, Volta Region Public Relations Officer (PRO) of ECG, while engaging the residents, indicated that receiving a high electricity bill could be frustrating, but urged residents to remain calm and approach the company for clarification.
She explained that high or estimated bills are not always due to meter errors or the ECG’s calculations. “Often, outstanding balances from previous months contribute to the overall amount. For instance, if a resident receives a bill of GH¢500 and pays only GH¢200, the remaining GH¢300 will be carried over to the next month’s bill.”
Ms Tweneboah-Kodua advised the residents that “when reviewing your bill, please check the itemized breakdown, which includes the current month’s charges and any outstanding balances. If you still have concerns or disputes, please don’t hesitate to visit our offices, which are open 24/7. Our staff will work with you to resolve any issues and provide a satisfactory explanation.”
She however apologized for the alleged misconduct of some staff members, acknowledging that such behavior is unacceptable and disrespectful to valued customers.
“I was made aware of a concerning issue regarding some of our staff members’ behavior during home visits. I want to extend my sincerest apologies for any disrespect or inconvenience caused.”
She pledged the ECG’s commitment to serve the residents diligently and ensure good customer relations.
The meeting was hailed as a success by Mr. Guggisberg Fiagbenu, the Assembly Member of Adidome Central Electoral Area, who expressed satisfaction with the measures taken by the ECG to address the concerns of the residents.
He indicated that the engagement has demonstrated the ECG’s readiness to understand the concerns of customers and offering possible education and support to address same.
The Assembly Member told that Ghana News Agency that he would work closely with the ECG to ensure that all concerns of the residents were swiftly attended to.
Mr. Fiagbenu however urged the management of ECG to resource its office in the electoral area to improve services.
He also encouraged residents to pay their bills promptly and seek clarification on any issues.
After the engagement, residents who had issues with their bills and meters were attended to at the ECG office and some who alleged to have been disconnected without due course were met to discuss the way forward.
Story By Kekeli K blamey
