This is due to the full implementation of the recently announced electricity tariff reduction from residential and non-residential power users in the country.

The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) in March announced a reduction in electricity tariffs of between 17 and 30 percent for residential and commercial consumers.

Though the reduction was scheduled to take effect on March 15, the ECG suggested that its monthly billing system couldn’t allow the immediate implementation.

The Managing Director of the ECG, Engineer Samuel Boakye-Appiah in an earlier press conference explained why the reduction could not take effect as indicated.

He said that “the monthly billing cycle of the prepayment metering system does not technically allow ECG to implement the review in the middle of the month”.

“Consequently, prepaid customers of ECG should note that the programming of the billing system will refund the reduction from the implementation date of the 15th to 31st March 2018. When they deposit cash or purchase electricity from 1st April 2018 onwards,” he added.

Engineer Boakye-Appiah pointed out that, the prepayment system will detect aggregate purchase for consumers in March, and then compute the reduction due them, from the effective date of 15th March to 31st March.

“This will be refunded to you on your next visit to vending point”.

He stated that the average percentage reduction, which is 15.5 percent for residential, 30 percent for non-residential, 25 percent for SLT and 10 percent for the mines, effective 15th March 2018 is only on energy consumption.

“Therefore the addition of statutory levies and other fixed charges will reduce the average percentage relief announced by the PURC”, he noted.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The construction of the Switching Station adds to the numerous interventions by the management of the Electricity Company of Ghana [ECG], to reduce system losses, improve power supply and ultimately enhance operational efficiency.

Upon completion, the Switching Station with 4No off-loading circuits is expected to distribute power more reliably and efficiently to the Brimsu Headworks, New and Old Ebu, Abakrampa, Asuansi and surrounding communities.

Speaking at a meeting in Cape Coast to discuss the project, the Construction Manager, Ing. Nee Abbey, indicated that currently these aforementioned areas with a growing customer population, are fed on a single line which is difficult to sustain.

He added that, this single line further distributes power to the various communities within the locality.

According to him, this often “results in a number of distribution challenges, leading particularly to the unreliable power supply to the Brimsu Headworks for water production”.

He indicated that, as part of the construction of the Switching Station, the Brimsu Headworks would have a dedicated line to help provide reliable power supply to enhance its water production activities.

Ing. Abbey further said that, a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) facility would be installed as part of the works.

The project and all ancillary works are valued at a cost of US$4m. The Construction Manager stated that, Amandi Energy Solutions Limited has been engaged to carry out the works.

The Project Manager of Amandi Energy Solutions Limited indicated that, the project will completed by the end of first quarter of 2018.

The Central Regional General Manager of the Electricity Company Limited,  Anokye Abebreseh, said that the facility, when completed and commissioned, “will lead to faster faults restoration times, remote monitoring of network conditions for pre-emptive action to be taken, and maintain high level of supply reliability”.

Mr. Abebreseh said that, the company continues to improve upon its customer service delivery through network improvement and infrastructure development initiatives.

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By: Joseph Ackon-Mensah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The Managing Director of the company, Samuel Appiah, who said this at a news conference, said the project will be piloted before being rolled out officially for public use.

[contextly_sidebar id=”HYXrzUmyj8YvS1BBfZIzMzxvjavMyLRa”]According to him, the technology will help avoid a recurrence of the current troubles the company is having with some of its prepared systems in the country.

“Going forward, the company intends to ensure that all ECG payment metering system will be smart devoid of customers visiting vending points, but instead utilizing a mobile application to purchase credit online,” he said.

He added that “some of our customers on credit meters can also receive their bills and pay their bills through the mobile application.”

Over 30,000 ECG customers in some parts of Accra have been without power for days following what the ECG calls a technical hitch.

In the past two days, hundreds of ECG customers converged on the company’s office at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, in a desperate attempt to purchase unit.

This has again brought to the fore discussions about the limited application of technology in service delivery in some state agencies, leading to tiresome and ineffective service delivery.

The ECG, which is a major utility company in the country, serves millions of customers in the Southern part of the country.

The company, however, still performs some of its operations manually.

Issuing and payment of bills is done manually, while customers with technical problems are expected to queue at its district officers to have their complaints heard and resolved.

But Mr. Appiah believes that the decision to introduce the official mobile app, will help address these challenges.

ECG privatization

This is happening at a time when the government is preparing to cede 50% of the company to a private investor for some 20 years, as part of the Millennium Compact II agreement with the US government.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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This is as a result of a GH¢ 41,000 debt reportedly left behind by the contractors who put up the school.

[contextly_sidebar id=”FD4bPJ1uCxiFDIrXBOum5Hb8L1kpZd7S”]The Headmistress of the School, Elizabeth Sam, who revealed this when members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education visited the school on Monday, said some staff of the school are forced to carry out some administrative duties in her house as a result of the situation.

“For now, the school has no light. Since the school was handed over to us, he hasn’t paid any bill as yet so it got to a time, the high cost of the electricity bill prompted the Electricity Company of Ghana to come and disconnect us. So he hasn’t paid any bill from the time we came here. The ICT lab, we can’t use it… Most of the administrative work is done in my home,” Mrs. Sam said.

She also decried the inadequate furniture in the school, noting that it had compelled some first-year students to bring personal plastic chairs from their respective homes.

The Chairman of the Committee, Siaka Stevens, said the committee will be working to address some of the challenges raised by the school.

He said it was preparing a report to be submitted to the floor of parliament for a debate and a policy direction.

He added that, the committee will engage the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to discuss the possibility of reconnecting the school to the national grid, while making efforts to reach the contractor to impress on him to pay the GH¢41,000 debt.

The Kwabenya Community Day SHS is among about 50 schools that were commissioned under the previous government’s special program to build 200 new community day Senior High Schools.

The previous government could not complete construction of all the promised 200 schools before it left office in January 2017.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Kwabenya Community Day SHS without electricity since 2016 appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The latest demand follows a sit-down strike by ECG staff, who are requesting a severance package for workers who could be laid off after the company is privatized.

[contextly_sidebar id=”FukX2R2f8Tyt8K8Iu4dKOglfOED8JWKZ”]The Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko responded to this by extending an invitation to the protesting workers who wanted their severance packages but warned them that they will lose their jobs if their demands are met.

The Minister said there was not going to be a collective bargaining situation where all 6,500 ECG workers were paid the severance and then transferred to the new company.

The government has consistently tried to allay the fears of workers following the Power Compact signed with the United States of America, acting through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).

But speaking to on Eyewitness News, the Deputy General Secretary of PUWU, Richard Nyaaba said PUWU will continue its agitation for what is due to ECG workers as the government so far has not shown any tangible commitment towards the retention of workers after the privatization.

“…Where is the proof? Up till now, we have not seen any document anywhere. So should we just be sitting there because a politician says our job secured and for that matter, we should not be worried, But tomorrow, we are asked to go away.”

He stressed that the workers are engaged legally by the Electricity Company of Ghana which “will no longer exist therefore our legal relationship with the Electricity Company of Ghana ceases come September 2018.”

“Appart from the 20 or so percent that will be left at the head office to stay with the mother ECG, that will monitor and supervise the concessioner, everybody will have to go off,” Mr. Nyaaba added.

The Ghana Power Compact will provide Ghana with a grant of US$498,200,000 to improve the performance of the power sector.

About US$350 million of the grant is being invested in ECG to make the country’s power distributor operationally and financially more efficient.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Give concrete assurances or protests will continue – PUWU to gov’t appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Eastern Regional Police PRO, ASP Ebenezer Tetteh who confirmed the development to Citi News said all the 14 suspects are in police custody at Koforidua assisting in investigations.

[contextly_sidebar id=”ex1gtWlpd6cjNYPRlUTLDEyPhy93ZoX0″]“We have arrested 14 people and all of them are in our custody in Koforidua. The first person was arrested in the morning. It was based on his arrest that the people mobilzed and went to vandalize the police station,” he said.

Hundreds of angry youth on Monday evening besieged the Somanya Police station, vandalized property, set fire to a police car, also freed four suspected criminals in police custody.

Their action saw many officers around the station, fleeing for their lives.

Their action was sparked by the arrest of a resident who is accused of masterminding an earlier violent demonstration of residents against the Electricity Company of Ghana over high bills.

ASP Ebenzer Tetteh said, the suspects would be charged with offences including rioting, causing damages, aiding the escape of prisoners from lawful custody, and causing unlawful harm.”

Meanwhile, the Police Administration has assured the public that calm has been restored at Somanya after the Monday evening incident.

In a statement copied to citifmonline.com, the Police said it has put in place adequate security measures to forestall further breach of the peace in the area.

“The Administration has deployed scores of police officers including contingents of action units of the Formed Police Unit, SWAT and Counter Terrorism units to Somanya to maintain law and order,” the statement said.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post 14 arrested over Somanya Police station vandalism appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The ICT training which will span a period of two months will have the officer’s trained in Microsoft suit and other internet based applications to equip them to meet the changing trends in technology.

The training, the University says forms part of the company’s quest to assist the government to empower individuals in ICT.

Assistant Registrar in-charge of Marketing and University Relations Kumasi – campus of the Ghana Technology University College (GTUC), George Akom told Kumasi based radio station ultimate radio the training program is to compliment government’s efforts at implementing an E-Governance platform in Ghana.

“We are doing this in support of government’s vision of implementing E Governance in the country. GTUC as a technology school, as part of our corporate social responsibility is in support of this vision to bring technology to all people in ministries, departments and agencies of government,” he stated.

He said they were beginning with 80 officers from the Central Prisons after which the concentration would move to prison officers from the Manhyia Prisons Division.

e also indicated that Obuase would be their next destination after completing with Kumasi.

George Akom said the University plans to institute a training program for ICT and Computer Science for other security services as well to improve their practical knowledge in ICT.

By: Afiba Anyanzua Anyanzu/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post GTUC to train Prison officers in ICT appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.