The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) is positioning itself to maximize its impact on utility companies as well as their clients. This means that PURC will expand its activities and engage more with utility companies and their clients.
One such activity is the expansion of the training school set up by PURC in collaboration with the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).
Dr. Ishmael Akah, the Executive Secretary of PURC, made this statement during an interview on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East Show on October 24, 2023.
“For us, we consider next year to be our year of strategic impact. This year, we established a training school. We are training people across Africa on utilities and regulation, and this program is open to everyone. We have advertised this initiative. Our goal is to become a center of excellence in the field of utility regulation. Some of the regulatory institutions in Africa are relatively new. For example, Liberia’s regulatory body is only 5 years old. We are also contributing by mentoring them,” he said.
Additionally, Dr. Akah stated that PURC is going to intensify its actions to protect consumers and their rights.
“We intend to continue protecting consumers so that they can receive good and quality services. Therefore, we are investing in technology and in our own staff to ensure they are well-equipped to assist our customers,” he added.
Beyond protecting consumers, Dr. Akah explained that PURC would continue to work assiduously to protect utility companies, “ensuring that they remain financially viable to continue providing the services clients need.”
Dr. Akah also mentioned that many of PURC’s activities preceding tariff adjustments would be decentralized to allow for full participation, particularly from clients.
The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) in Ghana is a government agency responsible for regulating the utility services, including electricity, water, and natural gas, in the country. Established in 1997 under the PURC Act 1997 (Act 538), the commission’s primary objective is to protect the interests of consumers and promote the provision of high-quality, efficient, and reliable utility services.
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
