In an effort to combat the sale and use of unapproved meters in the country, Dr. Ishmael Ackah, the Executive Secretary of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), has urged the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to ensure that meters, an essential commodity, are readily available to customers.

He pointed out that some Ghanaians resort to illegal connections for electricity and water services because they believe that ECG and the Ghana Water Company Limited are unresponsive to their requests for meters or assistance when they encounter issues.

During an interview with Joy News, Mr. Ackah stated, "When it comes to illegal activities, some individuals even resort to illegal water connections.

Such actions are in violation of the criminal code as they amount to theft. However, we also encourage the ECG and Ghana Water to make meters accessible to consumers, as this is a common challenge raised by consumers.

They should expedite the process of connecting consumers."

Regarding water treatment, the PURC Executive Secretary highlighted that the cost of production has increased significantly due to the use of polymer in the water treatment process.

He mentioned that polymer is four times more expensive than the alum previously used by the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL).

“Ghana water was using alumbut now they have moved to use polymer, but it is four times more expensive than alum. It means the cost of production has gone up and it will cost four times more to treat water. And this is all because of the Galamsey. In some areas, we have to treat muddy waters to make it clean for consumers,” Mr Ackah said.

The Electricity Company of Ghana reportedly incurred a revenue loss of GH¢2.8 billion, primarily as a result of unauthorized power connections made by certain individuals in the country.