GHANA GOVT. INAUGURATE NEW PURC OFFICE BUILDING

The Chief of Staff, Mrs. Akosua Frema Osei Opare, has inaugurated a new Public Utility Regulatory Commission (PURC) office building in Koforiduain the Eastern region. The office building has a reception, offices, conference hall, and washrooms, among other facilities.

The edifice would facilitate stakeholder engagements, monitoring of performances of the utility providers at the district and regional levels, and ensure the resolution of complaints by clients.

Mrs. Opare also launched the 25th Anniversary of the Commission and unveiled a logo to symbolize the celebration. She commended the Board of Directors of the PURC, management, and staff for constructing the building.

Mrs. Opare said the opening of the new office would help in decentralizing the services of PURC and enhance stakeholder collaborations.

“I am particularly excited by the frontal role played by the PURC in engaging stakeholders in the Multi-Year Major Tariff Review (2022-2027), which is currently ongoing,” she stated.

Mrs. Opare urged the PURC to engage stakeholders actively to come out with outcomes that would benefit the public.

The Board Chairman for the PURC, Mr. Ebo Quagraine, stated that over the past years, the major challenge of the Commission had been a lack of office space.

He said that in all regional offices and the head office, the Commission had operated from inadequate rental facilities.

Mr. Quagraine said, “in 2019, the board approved a proposal by the then Executive Secretary, Maame Dufie, to construct the building which began in October 2020, and was completed in February 2022”.

He said with better office accommodation and logistics, the regional office would become more effective at broadening the reach of the Commission through public educational programs to sensitize the public on the mandate of the PURC and their rights and responsibilities.

The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr. Seth Acheampong, said the construction of the new building would augment the PURC’s efforts in meeting the expectations of both utility service providers and consumers.

He advised PURC to ensure a proper maintenance culture to enable the building to serve its purpose and also ensure the effective functioning of its consumer service committees established throughout the country.

Mr. Acheampong said this would help implement the Commission’s policies and programs, and facilitate effective communication between consumers and stakeholders within the utility sector.