The Coalition of Stakeholders in Electricity Contracts and Arrangements (COSECA) is blaming the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC);and the Energy Commission (EC) for their inability to perform their regulatory roles as the economic and technical regulators in the energy sector.
COSECA believes that the underperformance from both PURC and Energy Commission has caused rampant electricity outages (dumsor) in the country.
This comes at the back of excessive power outrage in country where other stakeholders and individuals have called on ECG and government to bring load shedding schedule to ensure Ghanaians plan accordingly.
According to Executive Secretary of COSECA, Nana Yaa Akyempim Jantuah said PURC has reneged its role as a consumer advocate and an advisor to the Government on issues regarding Utility Regulation and only assigned itself to the role of increases in Electricity and Water Tariffs.
The PURC is almost moribund and is not able to exact its Regulatory Powers to ensure that the Utility Service Providers are adequately monitored and evaluated by holding them to the Regulatory Benchmarks attached to their tariffs as stipulated in the Tariff Setting Guidelines and other Regulatory Laws, Nana Yaa added.
She emphasized that the Energy Commission is almost nonexistence and she does not see them play the role of a proper Technical Regulator in the Sector that enforces proper conduct on all the Utility Service Providers.
Nana Yaa Jantuah called on players in the sectors to come together to find a lasting solution to the existing uncomfortable situation pertaining at the moment.
She also urged Utility Service Providers to have it in mind that they exist because of their customers, and for that matter these customers deserve to be given the best kind of service in every circumstance that exist no matter what.
Nana Yaa Akyempim Jantuah also alleged that His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa –Akufo Addo has contributed immensely to the challenges and the dysfunction of the energy sector because of his unwillingness to adhere to the laid down structures in the sector.
She believes President’s unconcern behaviour has adversely affected the smooth running of affairs in the energy sector.
“We are advising the government to reduce the interference in the Sector to allow players within run affairs smoothly for the benefit of all of us,” Nana Yaa stated.
The Executive Secretary revealed that the electricity sub sector needs a lot of financial resources to run effectively and in recent times we have observed with a lot of trepidation the level at which ECG has mismanaged resources in the sector, especially the Cash Water Fall Mechanism which has been largely compromised because the ECG is not adhering to the established formula for distribution of the Cash.
Read full statement of the press release:
COSECA has observed with a lot of displeasure the current happenings in the Electricity Sector in the country and believe that there is the need for all players in the sectors to come together to find a lasting solution to the existing uncomfortable situation pertaining at the moment.
The Utility Service Providers should have in mind that they exist because of their Customers who deserve to be given the best kind of service in every circumstance that exist no matter what.COSECA also thinks that there is the need for transparency to ensure that contracts and agreements between especially the Utility Service Providers and their Customers are not breached nor tampered with.
Adequate and truthful information dissemination between the Utility Service Providers and their Customers should be of utmost priority and must not be compromised at all and on this premise COSECA is saying there should be a Load shedding schedule to ensure Ghanaians plan accordingly..
In the candid opinion of the COSECA, Ghanaians deserve to know the root and true cause of the rampant electricity outages in the Country at the moment, it is unfortunate that as a nation we are getting varying reasons for the current challenges facing the Electricity sub Sector.
But in our view as a Coalition the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission and the Energy Commission are not performing their Regulatory Roles as the Economic and Technical Regulators in the Sector.
The PURC has reneged its role as a Consumer advocate and an advisor to the Government on issues regarding Utility Regulation and only assigned itself to the role of increases in Electricity and Water Tariffs.
The PURC is almost moribund and is not able to exact its Regulatory Powers to ensure that the Utility Service Providers are adequately monitored and evaluated by holding them to the Regulatory Benchmarks attached to their tariffs as stipulated in the Tariff Setting Guidelines and other Regulatory Laws.
The Energy Commission is almost nonexistence and we do not see them play the role of a proper Technical Regulator in the Sector that enforces proper conduct on all the Utility Service Providers.
COSECA wants to assert that the President of the Republic of Ghana His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa –Akufo Addo has contributed immensely to the challenges and the dysfunction of the Sector because of his unwillingness to adhere to the laid down structures in the sector and because of this he is always ill advised, and his behavior is adversely affecting the smooth running of affairs in the Sector.
We are advising the government to reduce the interference in the Sector to allow players within run affairs smoothly for the benefit of all of us.
The Electricity sub sector needs a lot of financial resources to run effectively and in recent times we have observed with a lot of trepidation the level at which ECG has mismanaged resources in the sector, especially the Cash Water Fall Mechanism which has been largely compromised because the ECG is not adhering to the established formula for distribution of the Cash.
COSECA is of the view that for the Cash Water Fall Mechanism to function effectively there is the need for all Sector Players to come together to devise a means and a plan that would allow for the smooth implementation of the Mechanism.
The findings of the Audit on ECG, by Price Water Coopers is not pleasant and very damning, but it also seems the ECG does not want to cooperate fully with the Auditors at all and this can be deduced from the tone of the Report that has been published by Price Water House Coopers urging the President, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo and the Energy Minister to ensure full cooperation from the ECG.
We are urging the ECG to give its full cooperation and support to the Price Water House Coopers to allow them do a good job.ECG is also hereby advised to implement all the recommendations to be given by the Auditors
There is the need for financial accountability and prudence in the sector, because money received from Customers and Stakeholders through tariffs and other Contracts and Arrangements is meant to help run the sector effectively and resolve some the Challenges being faced today.
Nana Yaa Akyempim Jantuah
Executive Secretary
OTHER MEDIA CONTACTS
• Dr. Steve Manteaw- Chairman
• Mr. Ben Boakye- Member
• Mr Kwame Jantuah-Member
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