ECG, explain this

Of late, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has resorted to a strange billing system for post-paid customers in parts of the Volta Region (l don’t know of other parts of the country). 

ECG has resorted to what l term presumptive billing system, where consumers are given arbitrary bills to pay based on previous consumption patterns.

It is a case where consumption is not based on actual units of power consumed by meter readings.

ECG has not engaged stakeholders to explain this new billing system to consumers to get them informed on this new development.

Customers are only presented with bills not based on meter readings but only for staff of ECG to engage in aggressive commando-style disconnection exercises to cut power to “defaulting” consumers.

What bothers consumers in the affected communities is why meters installed by ECG are being rendered redundant only for capricious bills to be presented for consumers to pay.
Consumers are also wondering why prepaid meters are not being installed for all consumers.

While on the strange new billing system, let us also consider the high cost of electricity in the country.

The ECG may have several reasons for their action, but have they taken into consideration the effect on other sectors of the economy?

Several years ago, a big manufacturing company based in Cote d’Ivoire relocated to Ghana at the height of the civil war in that country.

The company was set up on the Spintex Road and commenced business by employing a large number of Ghanaians.

After just two years of operations, however, the company wrote to inform the GRA of its intention to fold up the business in Ghana.

The reason for this action was given as high operation costs due to the high electricity cost.

Can ECG consider this to lower their tariffs to boost investor confidence in Ghana to encourage production and to help solve our unemployment woes?

Mark Logo,
Tema.