The Electricity Company of Ghana has asked the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) to withdraw its sanction of GHC5.8million fine against its Board of Directors as it goes outside the Commission’s mandate.
Aside from asking the Commission to be more cooperative and provide assistance to the Company for effective delivery of its services to the nation, it says it would be compelled to seek legal redress should the PURC fail to withdraw the sanctions.
The statement also described the sanctions as “null and void.”
According to the statement, the Company’s request for the PURC to rescind its sanctions is “without prejudice to ECG’s legal rights to seek an order of certiorari to quash the said orders…”
The ECG has also expressed its intention to seek a mandamus to compel the Commission to hear them out on the allegations leveled against them.
“Following our above submissions, we strongly advise that the Commission immediately withdraws the Further Orders dated 15th April 2024, directed at ECG and its Board of Directors as same is null and void. It is further advised that ECG should be given the opportunity to be heard on any charges of alleged breaches of its duties and obligations following the submission of its reports pursuant to PURC Orders dated 18th March 2024.
“Please take note that this request is without prejudice to ECG’s legal rights to seek an order of certiorari to quash the said orders, an order of prohibition against further arbitrary actions of the Commission and a mandamus to compel the Commission to hear ECG on the alleged breaches of its duties under the Act 538 and LI 2413. As the Company is going through its restructuring phase, these statements or pronouncements are eroding all the gains made by the Company. We will plead with your establishment for more in depth cooperation and assistance,” the statement indicated.
ECG Board members are men of integrity, they will pay the fine – PURC
The brouhaha comes on the back of a regulatory order by the PURC imposing a GHC5.8million fine on the Board of Directors of the ECG for failing to inform Ghanaians of its load-shedding schedule between August 2023 and March 2024.
The PURC in March 2024 warned that it would be compelled to issue regulatory sanctions against the power distribution company over the erratic power supply otherwise known as dumsor.
This came after the regulatory body observed that the ECG had failed to comply with its directive to release a load-shedding timetable corresponding with the timelines and duration for each transformer injection.
The regulator said it had not seen any evidence of the publication of the load management timetable despite being ordered to do so. In that regard, the Commission said it “is finalizing regulatory action on the above.” Thus, the fine imposed on the Board members.
