The Vice-Chancellor of the Koforidua Technical University (KTU), Professor David Kofi Essumang, has appealed to the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) to help advocate for the reduction in the huge utility bills for tertiary institutions.

He said the bills being paid by tertiary institutions had become “a burden on the neck” of such institutions.

The challenge, he said, had compelled them to commit more resources in paying utility bills considering the gadgets used in the institutions to ensure efficient and effecting teaching and learning.

He said the bills being paid by tertiary institutions had become “a burden on the neck” of such institutions.

The challenge, he said, had compelled them to commit more resources in paying utility bills considering the gadgets used in the institutions to ensure efficient and effecting teaching and learning.

“We plead with the PURC to consider the institutions as they consider the industries as well. We need power more than any other persons to operate our laboratories, offices among others and PURC should consider ways that tertiary institutions could be cushioned a bit to enable us operate effectively and efficiently,” he said.

The Vice Chancellor made the appeal during a tariff education organised by the PURC for students in the tertiary institutions in Koforidua.

The purpose was to educate the students on tariffs and the need for them to pay their bills promptly.

The event which was also attended by the university lecturers and administrators was also to enable the students to ask pertinent questions about utility services and to be provided with answers that would increase their knowledge on such services.

Professor Essumang revealed that about 90% of his students lived in rented homes and added that payment of electricity and water bills created a lot of confusion between landlords and students.

He was grateful to the PURC for such education and indicated that the students have now been empowered with knowledge on tariffs and would be able to use the PURC applications to calculate the amount of utility they used so they would not be cheated by landlords.

“You can now use the PURC Electricity Consumption Estimator and PURC Tarrif Reckoner to calculate exact energy used so that you can challenge any bills given to you,” he said.

He advised the students not to go fight their landlords but to do so diligently.
The Executive Secretary of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), Dr Ishmael Ackah urged students in the tertiary institutions to report any illegal connections of electricity and water to their premises to the utility providers for redress.

He said any person who reported illegal connections of utility services would be paid six percent of the amount recovered.

He said the payment of such amount to persons who report could be good motivation for the students who could become ambassadors for the prompt payment of utility bills and added they could benefit as well.

Speaking on the reasons for engaging the universities, he stated that sometimes utility consumers including students did not understand the processes of billing, adding that such situations caused tension between utility providers and consumers as well as students and landlords.

Dr Ackah revealed that the education would enable the students to also educate their parents and stated this would help to improve understanding and cordial relationship between consumers and utility providers.

He said the PURC would continue to play the intermediary role between the two and would ensure that utility providers provide quality services to the consumers whilst consumers also paid their bills promptly.

The Eastern Regional Operations and Consumer Services Director of PURC,Alhaji Jabaru Abukari urged utility to ensure that they report their concerns with the landlords for redress.

From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman, Koforidua