The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), Ashanti Regional Office, has intensified public education on the legal responsibilities of electricity and water consumers, urging residents to comply with the provisions of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (Consumer Service) Regulations, 2020 (L.I. 2413).
The education campaign, which was conducted through a week-long sensitisation exercise and complaints clinic, sought to deepen consumer understanding of their obligations to regulated utility service providers and promote responsible consumption of electricity and water.
The exercise focused particularly on Regulation 4 of L.I. 2413, which clearly outlines the responsibilities of consumers and the measures required to ensure effective, safe and sustainable delivery of utility services.
Under the regulation, consumers are required to pay promptly for services received, use utility services strictly for the purposes for which they were contracted and refrain from illegal connections.
The law also prohibits consumers from tampering with, interfering with or damaging utility equipment and meters, or allowing other persons to undertake such unlawful activities on their behalf.
Consumers are further required not to relocate meters without authorisation or use utility services in ways that interfere with the supply of electricity or water to other customers.
The regulation also places an obligation on consumers to grant employees or authorised agents of public utility providers safe and reasonable access to their premises to undertake legitimate duties, including meter reading and inspection of utility installations.
However, such access is subject to the presentation of verifiable identification by the utility staff concerned.
The Commission explained that the provisions were intended to establish a balanced relationship between utility providers and consumers while ensuring that both parties fulfilled their respective responsibilities under the law.
As part of the week-long campaign, officials of the PURC Ashanti Regional Office engaged consumers across selected communities, market centres and public institutions.
The Commission also leveraged media platforms to extend the education to a wider audience, particularly consumers who might not have had the opportunity to participate in direct community engagements.
Consumers were encouraged to become ambassadors of L.I. 2413 by observing the regulations, paying their utility bills promptly, protecting meters and other installations, and reporting illegal connections and other activities capable of disrupting utility services.
The Commission specifically urged electricity and water consumers to cooperate with accredited personnel of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Ghana Water Limited (GWL) by granting them access to their premises whenever such access was required for legitimate operational activities.
The PURC maintained that consumer cooperation was essential to improving service delivery, protecting public utility infrastructure and reducing avoidable disagreements between service providers and their customers.
The education and complaints clinic also provided an opportunity to strengthen consumer awareness of their responsibilities while promoting constructive engagement between utility providers and the communities they serve.
The initiative forms part of broader efforts by the Commission to promote compliance with regulatory requirements, protect consumer interests and ensure that utility services are delivered in an environment of mutual responsibility and accountability.
The Commission expressed the expectation that sustained public education on L.I. 2413 would help reduce illegal connections, meter-related infractions, damage to utility installations and conflicts between consumers and service providers.
It further emphasised that access to reliable electricity and water services requires not only the commitment of utility companies but also the cooperation and responsible conduct of consumers.
The PURC is mandated to regulate and oversee the provision of electricity and water services in Ghana, including protecting the interests of both consumers and utility service providers.
Through the Ashanti Regional Office’s latest intervention, the Commission is seeking to reinforce the message that consumers have enforceable obligations under the law and must play their part in ensuring efficient, safe and sustainable utility services.
