Residents of Sogakope in the South Tongu District of the Volta Region on Friday stormed the district office of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to protest what they described as persistent overbilling, estimated billing practices, and poor customer service.
The protest, organised by a pressure group known as the Concerned Citizens of Sogakope, attracted more than 200 residents who marched through the principal streets of the district capital before presenting a petition to the management of the power distribution company.
The demonstrators cited concerns including unexplained electricity bills, inaccurate meter readings, delays in resolving customer complaints, prolonged replacement of faulty meters, alleged unfair disconnection practices, and poor communication on outages and tariff charges.
Carrying placards with inscriptions such as “ECG is exploiting us,” “Stop the abnormal light bills now,” and “We need correct readings for every meter,” the protesters expressed frustration over what they described as years of unresolved challenges facing electricity consumers in the area.
Clad in red and black attire, the demonstrators accused ECG of imposing excessive bills through estimated billing systems and demanded greater transparency and accountability in its operations.
Some residents claimed that electricity bills that previously ranged between GHS150 and GHS300 had in some cases risen to between GHS2,000 and GHS4,000, with others reportedly receiving bills exceeding GHS10,000.
Spokesperson for the group, Mr Bernard Cudjoe, who presented a petition to Mr Mawunyo Kudzo Akwetey, the Sogakope District Manager of ECG, said the demonstration was intended to draw attention to the hardship consumers are facing.
“Consumers deserve accurate billing, quality service and prompt resolution of complaints. We are demanding fairness, transparency and accountability from ECG,” he said.
The petition outlined demands including accurate billing based on actual meter readings, timely communication on outages, prompt resolution of complaints and billing disputes, improved customer service, faster replacement of faulty meters, and fair disconnection and reconnection procedures.
Mr Cudjoe said the group expects ECG to take immediate steps to address the concerns raised and restore public confidence in its services, adding that they have given the company a three-month ultimatum to respond or face further action.
The protest, dubbed “Say No to Abnormal Light Bills and Estimated Bills Demonstration,” was conducted peacefully under heavy security supervision.
More than 50 police officers were deployed to maintain law and order, and the demonstration ended without any reported incidents. Residents and organisers commended the police for their professionalism.
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Source: GNA
