Source: Ben LARYEA
The Public Utilities Regulations Commission (PURC) has intensified it’s working relationship with the media and forms part of the strategy to engage the inky fraternity to report accurately on the general operations of the Commission to consumers and the public at large.
It is against these background that the Commission have inaugurated on initiative dubbed, “Media Fellowship Programme” geared towards the drive to periodically have an encounter with the media among others of the provision on guidelines for rates to be charged for the provision of utility services, approval of utility rates, protection of interest of consumers as well as providers of utility services.
In addition, the promotion of fair competition among public utilities, investigate and settle complaints relating to utility services.
At a working dinner with a cross section of the media at Alisa Hotel, in Accra, the Executive Secretary of PURC, Dr. Ishmael Ackah Commended the media for their unflinching reportage on the works of the Commission and explained the his outfit cannot work in isolation from the media.
He said the management and staff of the Commission sees the media as a partner in the growth and development of the country hence initiatives in that regard have been rolled out to strengthen and build linkages with the media to educate the public and utility service providers on the emerging trends on tariffs in relations to the provision of water and electricity to consumers in a transparent manner.
“The Commission have also put in place plans and activities in embarking on a working visit to media houses as part of the effort to strengthen partnership and to also express gratitude to media for supporting operations”, he said and explained further that the gesture ties into the mandate of the commission commitment to work closely with the media to scale up the education on utility tariffs to consumers and the public at large.
The PURC, he said have functioning officers in all the regions across the country and have also taken steps to work out a working collaboration with the Energy Commission to enhance the operations of all entities in the utility value chain.
The Executives Secretary said the PURC will continue to work assiduously across all the regions in the country for the citizenry to have a deeper understanding of the operations of the Commission as line up of activities have been schedule for the coming months.
The core mission of PURC is to build a credible and sustainable utility regulatory regime that protects stakeholder’s interests and a vision to become model utility regulatory institution in Africa.
