General News of Monday, 27 November 2017
Source: Myjoyonline.com
2017-11-27
President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
The president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has tasked the Public Utility and Regulatory Commission (PURC) to up its supervisory roles to ensure the country’s utility companies provide quality service.
He said utility providers that fail to meet the required standard of performance should be “appropriately” sanctioned.
At the swearing-in of the newly constituted PURC governing Board Monday, the President said the Commission will no longer be allowed to shirk its responsibility at the detriment of consumers.
“It is important that you bring relief to the Ghanaian consumer and industry,” President Akufo-Addo told the Board.
But it has been grappling with internal conflicts for the past few years, a development that led to the dismissal of the then Executive Secretary, Samuel Sarpong.
The Volta River Authority (VRA) Board Chairman Kweku Andoh Awotwi has said the PURC has done a “poor” job since it was set up.
But the President said government will no longer accommodate a public institution that is lethargic towards to its responsibilities.
“It appeared that the protection of the interest of the consumer and the delivery of quality service by utility providers, have been largely shirked by PURC [but] this perception must change,” President Akufo-Addo said.
He said the PURC Board has a duty to contribute towards the development of a “competitive energy sector” to drive the industrial and economic development of the country.
President Akufo-Addo assured the Board of government’s assistance, adding no one will interfere with the PURC in the discharge of its work.
