Koforidua:The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has inaugurated a Spot Billing Franchising Project in Koforidua, aimed at improving revenue collection, strengthening accountability, and enhancing customer service delivery.
According to Ghana News Agency, the project operates under the theme, 'Safeguarding Revenue, Powering Ghana,' and focuses on improving meter reading, ensuring accurate billing, identifying illegal connections, and bolstering revenue collection. Dr. Julius Abayateye, Acting Deputy Executive Secretary of the Energy Commission, emphasized the importance of revenue safeguarding for the financial sustainability and operational efficiency of the electricity sector during the launch.
Dr. Abayateye noted that while investments in power generation, transmission, and distribution are crucial, the sustainability of the sector largely relies on accurate billing, timely payment, and effective revenue collection. He praised ECG's franchising initiative, which transforms the role of meter readers into a performance-based system, and highlighted the deployment of over 1,500 contractors across 92 districts, achieving a 21.3 percent improvement in meter-reading performance during the pilot phase.
ECG aims to raise revenue collection from 86 to 98 percent and reduce system losses from 26.88 to 21.5 percent by 2028. The initiative emphasizes stronger customer engagement, reliable data, and collective efforts to curb illegal connections and electricity theft. Mr. Ebenezer Baiden, Deputy Managing Director in charge of Commercial Services at ECG, stated that the project complements prepaid metering and has been expanded nationwide with contractors using handheld devices for meter reading and debt recovery.
Mr. Julius Kwame Kpekpena, Managing Director of ECG, explained that the initiative extends contractors' responsibilities beyond meter reading to include identifying faulty and bypassed meters, monitoring prepaid meters, and supporting authorized disconnections and reconnections. He assured that contractors would be compensated based on verified work, supported by technology for electronic monitoring and verification.
Mrs. Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, Eastern Regional Minister, commended ECG for the initiative, highlighting its role in enhancing efficiency and accountability in electricity service delivery. She urged customer cooperation in promptly paying bills and reporting illegal connections, while ensuring contractors work honestly and management supervises effectively. Franchise contractors were provided with vehicles and motorcycles to aid their field operations.
Source Ghana News Agency