By Maxwell Awumah
Ho, April 24, GNA – The month-long aggressive revenue mobilisation exercise embarked upon by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has doubled collection to GH¢40million in the Volta and Oti regions.
The months of February and January, however, raked in GH¢19.3million and GH¢16.9million, respectively, out of which GH¢6.5million was the weekly target.
The ECG between March 20 and April 20, 2023, begun a combative nationwide revenue mobilisation exercise to retrieve some GH¢5.7billion but realised more than half of the debt with the share of Volta/Oti Regions debts totaling GH¢219million.
The exercise saw officials of ECG visit some of the state institutions, hotels, tertiary institutions, and private entities among others, who, hitherto, owed the Company for power consumed to either pay their indebtedness or be disconnected from the national grid.
The exercise took place simultaneously across ECG’s 11 operational districts of Volta and Oti, namely, Denu, Sogakope, Akatsi, Keta, Ho, Kpeve, Kpando, Hohoe, Jasikan, Nkwanta and Dambai.
Mr Michael Buabin, acting General Manager for Volta Region expressed gratitude to all customers for the buy-in, which made the exercise a success.
“We are not pleased to disconnect our clients because power consumption will bring the needed revenue with the phenomenon of disconnection being the last resort, when all persuasion fails.”
Some notable state institutions including the Bank of Ghana, Hohoe, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ghana Revenue Authority, Sogakope Beach Resort, Brazil Agro, Sogakope Red Bull Academy, Ho Nursing Training College, the Ho Technical University, who were caught in the debt web, have all settled their indebtedness.
“The Ho Airport and KFC even paid more than what they owed ECG.”
However, Mr Buabin disclosed that Volta Forest Products and Matador Multimedia, two companies in the Hohoe enclave have been disconnected for owing ECG more than GH¢950,000 and GH¢65,000, respectively.
He disclosed that institutions like the National Communication Authority, GCB, Stevens Hotel and Skyplus Hotel in Ho and Regency Salt Company, in Denu District, paid their accruing bills on time and deserve commendation.
“We would like to commend all these customers for being selfless and patriotic in the payment of bills and called on others to emulate them.”
He said some Municipal and District Assemblies as well as the Ghana Water Company Limited and the Ho Teaching Hospital were yet to clear all their arrears.
The acting General Manager revealed that some GH¢66,000 was recouped from some companies, who were engaged in illegal connection and had handed over the culprits to the Police for further action.
He indicated that its next exercise would be to clampdown on the activities of illegal and power theft activities saying, “anybody who knows or who believes their meters have been tampered with or there’s a bypass should note that the utility court is being set up and they are going to be charged with stealing.”
Mr Buabin appealed to customers to desist from illegal activities and pay their bills promptly to enable ECG to serve them better.
He said lessons had been learnt and revenue mobilisation exercise would be sustained with the last week of the month designated for debt collection, while high debtors reached by phone calls to prompt them to pay to avert debt accumulation.
“ECG is poised to make the Volta Region the hub of excellent customer service through the provision of stable power supply and quality services, hence, the need to complete existing projects and initiate new ones.
“We installed a 20MVA transformer at the Kpando Bulk Supply Point last year as part of efforts to improve power supply. We will also commence the construction of a substation at Sokode, to improve power supply in the region,” he added.
In bringing services closer to our clients, ECG has completed a customer service centre at Dambai and a Revenue collection point at Kpando, which would be commissioned soon and hoped to complete some customer service centres at Anloga, GoloKwati, New Ayoma and Kpetoe.
Mr Buabin was full of commendation to the media for their unflinching support during the exercise through sustained publicity and live coverage, which enabled the Company to reach its customers to achieve its target.
GNA