27th May, 2016

The Daily Graphic believes there is more to the high electricity tariffs than the ECG billing system. Therefore looking at the challenge solely as a result of the billing software will be a narrow way of looking at the issue. The paper urges government to reduce or completely scrap the taxes and levies on electricity if it intends to give consumers a relief. It adds that targeting the billing software of ECG will not achieve much. The Graphic believes consumers are also required to pay higher tariffs because the people opted for thermal energy which is a more expensive power source. It urges government to focus on developing renewable energy sources to ensure sustainability of electricity generation at affordable rates. 

The Ghanaian Times is happy that PURC has come round to halt the implementation of the billing software that has caused pain to many. The paper is unhappy that it took this long before the PURC detected the irregularity after consumers had suffered untold hardship for a month. The Times is therefore of the view that ECG has taken undue advantage of consumers and must take steps to compensate those who have been wrongfully billed. The paper says the intervention is good, and must be extended to resolve all problems facing ECG to ensure that customers are not cheated.

GBC