Debt of Krobo Odumase residents wasn’t waived – PDS

Power Distribution Services (PDS) has described as ‘inaccurate’ reports that it has waived over GH¢100 million of the debt owed the company by residents of Krobo Odumase in the Eastern Region.

The company in a statement said the downward review of the debt owed by the residents was as a result of a “data cleansing and reconciliation” process it embarked upon.

In the statement, it explained that “the initial debt of GH¢195,725,500.29 was as a result of estimated bills of accumulated consumption due to challenges beyond the control of the then ECG… However in 2017, upon a series of engagements and negotiations, with the residents, the Company was granted access to capture their actual electricity consumption which led to the process of ‘data cleansing and reconciliation’ of their bills. This is a normal process of correcting billing anomalies. This exercise, therefore, revealed the actual amount owed by the Krobo residents to the tune of GH¢ 84,625,624.87, which is a reduction of the initial stated estimated debt.”

There was unrest in the area last week as the residents protested against PDS claiming they were being overbilled by the power company.

A meeting between assembly members of the municipality, PDS and the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) culminated in an agreed roadmap to address the recurring clashes over non-payment of bills.

The PDS after a data cleaning exercise reviewed the 195 million cedi arrears owed it to 84 million cedis.

The parties among other things also agreed on a rescheduling payment plan for customers.

However, in an interview with Citi News, the Head of Public Relations for PDS, William Boateng said installing prepaid meters will be the best solution going forward.