The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) on May 27, 2023, organised a one-day training for its media fellowship. The media fellowship is a carefully selected group of media men and women who have been assembled by the Commission to be trained for effective communication on the operations of PURC.

The Executive Secretary of PURC, Dr. Ishmael Ackah, in his opening remarks, enlightened members of the media fellowship on the Tariff decision processes of the Commission. He touched on the components and variables that led to the upward adjustment of electricity tariffs in its quarterly adjustment review for the second quarter of 2023, resulting in an 18.36% increase in electricity tariffs.

Dr. Ackah, implored the Media fellowship to help disseminate available information received and to broaden the knowledge base of the ordinary consumer on the tariff decision processes as well as various reasons for the quarterly reviews. This he said would give consumers a better understanding of the tariff processes and quarterly review decisions of the Commission.

Alhaji Jabaru Abukari, Director for Regional Operations and Consumer Services (ROCS) at the PURC in a presentation to the fellowship, explained the Complaint Management Processes from the time a complaint is lodged with the Commission to when it is resolved.

According to Alhaji Jabaru, twelve thousand one hundred and six (12,106) complaints were lodged against the regulated utilities, out of which, eleven thousand, six hundred and thirty (11,630) were resolved.

Ms. Barbara Holm-Fleischer, of the Legal Directorate, took participants through the various regulations such as the Consumer Service Regulations, 2000 - Legislative Instrument (LI 2413), which governs the work of the Commission as well as the protection it gives to consumers and utility service providers including the rights and obligations of a consumer and the regulated utilities.

Chairman of the Research and Stakeholder Management Committee (RSMC), Mr. Patrick Nyarko, expressed appreciation to the PURC Media Fellowship for honouring the invitation of the Commission and charged them to explain to the general public, the processes and reasons leading to the quarterly reviews.

In attendance at the Media Training from the PURC were, the Executive Secretary - Dr. Ishmael Ackah; Mr. Patrick Nyarko, a Board Member and Chairman of the Research and Stakeholder Management Committee;  Mr. John Adarquaye, Member of the Committee; Dr. Juliet Twumasi-Anokye, Committee  Member, Dr. Nii Darko Kobina Asante, Board Member and a member of the Committee; Dr. Kwabena Nyarko Otoo, Board Member and a member of the Committee; Alhaji Jabaru Abukari, Director Regional Operations and Consumer Services; and Dr Eric Kofi Obutey, Director Research and Corporate Affairs. The others were the Head of Corporate Affairs, Robert Tia Aziz, Mrs. Deborah Bonny and Charles Jojo Entsi, Deputy Heads, Corporate Affairs.