The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission, PURC, over the weekend led the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCO), the Ghana Water Limited (GWL) among other groups to match through some major streets in Tamale as part of efforts to raise awareness and educate consumers against illegal connections in the northern region.
The Northern Regional Office of the PURC earlier this year introduced an initiative christened: “Big Rescue Agenda” to support the revenue mobilization efforts of the utility service providers and also educate consumers against electricity and water thefts in the area.
The PURC Regional Manager, Mr. Edward Boduah, in a media interview after the walk on Saturday, November 4, explained the purposed of the Rescue Agenda was aimed at rescuing both utility service providers and consumers, adding the commission has realized a lot of the people are into illegal connections.
“At the same time when they steal the power and water [and these people are billed], they’re also not able to pay the bills; so we realized that there was the need to rescue the utilities and the same time the consumers.”
He further pointed out how the widespread menace is adversely impacting on the revenue returns of the Ghana Water Limited and the Northern Electricity Distribution Company, bemoaning that the two institutions are unable to do further investment to improve quality service delivery as expected.
Mr. Boduah said the commission therefore deemed it expedient to climax the year with the health walk to intensify the campaign against the widespread illegal connections in the region.
“…For the services to be right, illegal connections has to be in zero tolerant levels so that Ghana Water and NEDCO can supply best services to the people as we all expect.” he appealed.
The Manager further admonished consumers to frequently pay their utility bills promptly and also urged the general public to desist from interfering with the infrastructure of the service providers.
Mr. Stephen Amihere Mensah, the Regional Chief Manager of Ghana Water Limited for his part said nonpayment of bills and water theft remains a major challenge undermining their operations.
“As I speak to you now, the water that we produce, the water that we’re able to bring to town, 48% of that quantity gets missing; we call it non-revenue water. We have done our researches and we have realized that 80% is due to illegal connection, what it means is that people are using our water without paying for it” he lamented bitterly.
He therefore welcomed the intervention by the regulator to organize such a big campaign against the prevalence of illegal connections in the northern region. He also cautioned the public to stop the practice, warning those who will be found will face prosecution in the law court.
The Area Manager of NEDCO, Ing Elvis Demuyakor, in his remarks disclosed the losses recorded currently stands at 45%, asserting his outfit is able to account for only 55% of the power they buy from the Ghana Grid Company.
“The illegal connection is also reducing our revenue and by so doing, we’re unable to improve on our service delivery. To improve on our service delivery means that we need more to be able to procure infrastructure, spares, equipment to replace the obsolete ones in the system and if people decides to continue to illegal connection, it means we lose this revenue and we may not be able to improve on our service delivery” he stated.
