By Gloria Edinam Atiase
The Eastern Regional Office of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) recorded a 96.4 per cent complaint resolution rate between January and November 2025, alongside expanded regulatory, monitoring and community engagement activities.
According to the office’s end-of-year report for 2025, a total of 1,253 complaints were received during the period. The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) accounted for 84.6 per cent of the complaints, followed by Ghana Water Limited (GWL) with 15.2 per cent, while complaints against consumers represented 0.2 per cent.
The report indicated that quality-of-service issues dominated the complaints, accounting for 84.6 per cent. These included power outages, phase-offs, voltage fluctuations, pipe bursts, pipe leakages, and incidents of no water flow. It also noted that electronic media, particularly WhatsApp, was the preferred channel for lodging complaints, accounting for 74 per cent of all submissions.
To assess service delivery, the Eastern Regional Office conducted monitoring exercises in 44 communities and 11 small and medium-scale enterprises, interviewing 1,086 consumers. Eleven complaints were recorded during the exercise and forwarded to service providers for redress.
Under its statutory mandate, the office also supervised two Consumer Service Committees (CSCs) located at Donkorkrom and Maame Krobo in the Afram Plains North and South districts. The CSCs carried out public education activities and complaints clinics in 15 communities, resulting in the receipt of 31 complaints for resolution.
As part of efforts to expand access to safe drinking water, the Commission handed over four fully mechanised pro-poor water projects in the Upper West Akim District. The projects, comprising boreholes with storage tanks and pumping systems, were commissioned at Takorasi, Nyanoa, Kumikrom Amanfrom and Essaso to serve communities facing water access challenges.
During the year under review, the Commission resolved several utility service issues through regulatory interventions. Overbilling complaints were investigated, leading to refunds totalling GH¢29,171.46 credited to 14 consumers.
The Commission also facilitated the replacement of damaged utility infrastructure, including 11 single-phase meters, 13 electric poles and two transformers, at a total cost of GH¢139,167.97.
In addition, the Commission intervened to restore water supply to residents of Odumase-Krobo following a six-month disruption caused by road construction activities.
The Eastern Regional Office has assured consumers of its commitment to strengthening regulatory oversight, consumer education and monitoring to improve utility service delivery across the region.
