Some mobile money vendors in Bankuman in Tema Manhean are allegedly using the Electricity Company of Ghana’s (ECG) mobile app to extort monies from unsuspecting customers.
Scores of residents disclosed this to ECG officials from the Tema main and Tema South District offices during a community engagement to address safety issues and related power matters.
“When we are going to buy the power, we are required to add some amount of money as their charge, for instance if I am buying GHC50.00 prepaid units I will add at least GHC2.00,” a resident said.
They indicated that the momo vendors do not issue them with receipts as they write the token number on papers for them to enter on their clou metre remotes if the recharge did not automatically appear on the meter as expected.
Some indicated that they thought the power tariffs were increased, due to the rate at which their power was consumed at, while others blamed the installation of the new clou metres as they claimed they were buying more power than they used to.
The ECG officials, however, through further questioning realised that the Momo venders who were not authorised vendors of the company were shortchanging them as the residents appeared ignorant and would not demand for a receipt or check the amount that was loaded.
Ms Ruhiya Fuseini, Marketing Officer, ECG, Tema Regional Office assured the residents that the Public Utility Regulatory Commission (PURC) had not increased tariff neither the clou metres were the cause of the running out of their units.
Ms Fuseni explained that ECG only deducted the required service charges during the first purchase of each monthly adding that the service per monthly for residential meters was GHC7.46.
She gave the assurance that the ECG would investigate and bring to book such unauthorised vendors, and also advise customers to buy from only accredited vendors and demand for their receipt to ensure that they received required power equivalent of what they purchased.
She also urged them to download the ECG app on their phones and do the online purchase themselves to avoid such extortions which was only enriching the pockets of the vendors.
Mr Christopher Apawu, ECG Tema South District Engineer, said the engagement was necessitated due to some safety issue recorded in the area, saying even though clients used electrical power, some of them did not know the consequences of tempering with their equipment.
He cautioned residents against transmitting electricity from their premises to others as that constituted illegal connection, adding that, it was also unacceptable for residents to remove meters from one location to the other.
He said when relocating after buying a meter, they must contact the ECG for the necessary arrangement.
