The Accra East Region of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has embarked on a two-week nationwide revenue mobilisation exercise to recover GH¢ 200 million in debts owed by customers in the region.
The special exercise which began on Monday will end on Friday June 27, this year.
The Regional General Manager, Bismark Otoo, who disclosed this to the media in Accra on Monday during a staff briefing indicated that the specified amount does not represent the total debt owed by customers in the region.
However, the goal for the two-week initiative, he said, was to recover at least GH¢ 200 million, while the region will continue its regular efforts to collect the remaining debts from customers.
Mr Otoo mentioned that the staff in the region have been organised into teams across all operational districts, including Makola, Roman Ridge, Teshie, Mampong, Dodowa, Kwabenya, Legon, and Adenta, to engage with all types of customers who have outstanding electricity bills.
He clarified that the customers encompass residential, commercial, industrial, as well as various ministries, departments, and agencies. “We are pursuing all our customers who have debts, and no customer will be overlooked.”
The Regional Manager further noted that while the teams would be actively working in the field, there will also be back-office staff available to handle any customer inquiries or issues that may arise.
Additionally, he emphasised that the initiative was not only solely focused on debt collection but also serves as an opportunity for the region to enhance customer satisfaction and operational efficiency, as the teams will inspect both postpaid and prepaid meters to detect and correct any discrepancies.
“This is also a chance for the region to ensure the precision and reliability of our metering systems. Our teams will examine both prepaid and postpaid meters to identify and resolve any irregularities.
We strongly believe that this exercise will significantly improve our operational efficiency and customer satisfaction in Accra East.”
Mr Otoo stated that, as part of the initiatives, the region has formed specialised teams responsible for closely monitoring this exercise and emphasised that any attempts to disrupt the work, whether through intimidation or illegal self-reconnections, will not be tolerated. He added, “We will take necessary actions, including the apprehension and prosecution of individuals who engage in such activities.”
He therefore, urged customers in the region to allow access to ECG staff to their premises for the execution of their duties, adding, however, “If our officers are unable to access your premises, a non-access sticker will be placed at a visible entry point.
This will instruct you to contact the dedicated numbers provided. We encourage you to respond promptly, as failure to do so within 24 hours may necessitate us to take necessary actions to recover any outstanding debt.”
He assured customers that the staff would conduct themselves with the utmost professionalism during the exercise and encouraged customers to verify the identity of the staff by checking their identification cards. Additionally, he urged them to report any suspicious behavior by individuals posing as ECG staff to the nearest ECG office or the Police.
The Regional Manager encouraged customers to settle their outstanding bills immediately to avoid the inconvenience of disconnection and the subsequent reconnection fees.
BY TIMES REPORTER
