Ghana Agency Resolves 99% of Utility Complaints in Q1

When utilities fail, families sit in darkness and businesses lose money, but one government office in Ghana is proving consumer protection can actually work.

The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission's Volta/Oti office resolved 892 out of 904 complaints against power and water companies in the first three months of 2026. That 98.6% success rate marks the region's highest achievement in five years.

Regional Director Philip Agbezudor said the numbers show the commission is keeping its promise to protect consumers facing persistent outages and water shortages. Most complaints centered on power outages, low voltage, unstable electricity, and water flow problems.

The Electricity Company of Ghana faced 735 complaints and resolved 726, hitting a 98.8% success rate. Ghana Water Limited handled 169 complaints and fixed 166, reaching 98.2%.

What makes these numbers even more remarkable is the surge in complaints. Reports jumped from 316 in 2022 to 904 in 2026 as more people learned about their consumer rights and service challenges worsened.

The commission kept pace with the flood of concerns while steadily improving resolution rates from 89.9% in 2022 to today's record high. Agbezudor said the rising complaint numbers actually signal growing public trust in the commission's ability to help.

The way people reach out has completely transformed. More than 95% of complaints now arrive through WhatsApp and email, with phone calls making up just 4% and in-person visits nearly disappearing.

The commission didn't just resolve complaints from behind desks. Teams visited businesses across 28 facilities where owners shared frustrations about erratic power and high estimated bills, forcing many to run expensive generators just to keep operating.

Staff also traveled to 31 communities and spoke with 332 residents about billing, customer service, and reliability issues. They found improvements in mobile payment systems but persistent problems with outages and inconsistent water supply.

The Ripple Effect

The commission pushed through concrete fixes that changed daily life for thousands. Workers replaced a faulty meter in Ho Titrinu worth 1,400 cedis and installed a 50kV transformer in Mafi Adzorgekope costing 80,000 cedis.

The biggest impact came through 12 new boreholes delivered to communities in Hohoe, Ho Central, and Akatsi South. Each borehole includes a 10,000-litre water tank and pipes, bringing safe drinking water to roughly 5,000 people who previously relied on unsafe sources.

Five more boreholes are ready to launch in the Agortime/Ziope District this quarter, extending clean water access even further across underserved areas.

Agbezudor said the work continues as a commitment to practical solutions that directly improve lives in communities that need it most.