Concerned electricity consumers in the Ketu South Municipality of the Volta Region are set to take to the streets on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, to protest what they describe as persistent over-billing, estimated electricity bills and delays in repairing or replacing faulty meters.
The planned peaceful demonstration is being organised under the theme, “Enough Is Enough! Stop the Over-Billing Now!”, with the organisers demanding urgent action from the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to address what they consider widespread irregularities in the company’s billing practices.
The convener of the group, Mr Edem Mensah Viglo, said the demonstration was intended to draw attention to the difficulties consumers had faced in obtaining accurate bills and having complaints resolved.
He said residents had been subjected to what they described as excessive estimated bills issued without actual meter readings, unexplained charges and prolonged delays in the replacement or repair of defective meters.
“Our demonstration is under the theme “Enough Is Enough! Stop the Over-Billing Now!: we are calling for immediate action to ensure that electricity bills are based strictly on accurate meter readings, for those who have been wrongly charged to receive appropriate adjustments to their accounts,” he said.
‘Businesses collapsing’
Mr Viglo said the situation had placed considerable financial pressure on households and businesses in the municipality, with some consumers allegedly receiving bills they considered disproportionate to their electricity consumption.
He said the concerns had gone beyond individual household inconvenience and were increasingly affecting livelihoods and businesses in the area.
“The over-billing had led to the collapse of many personal businesses in the area; it has also contributed to a rise in the unemployment rate within the municipality since many cannot afford the high bills by ECG,” he said.
According to him, some residents had reported receiving electricity bills despite having been disconnected for several months, while others with very few electrical appliances had allegedly received bills running into thousands of Ghana cedis.
He cited instances in which households with minimal appliances, including a single bulb, were allegedly billed between GH¢2,000 and GH¢5,000, while some customers were said to have accumulated bills approaching GH¢20,000 within a few months.
The organisers are therefore demanding greater transparency and accountability from ECG in its billing and metering processes, as well as what they describe as respect for the rights of electricity consumers.
Route and demands
The demonstration is expected to begin at Denu Junction, from where the participants will march through the Ketu South Municipality Assembly to the ECG office in Denu.
The organisers intend to present their grievances formally to officials of the power distribution company at the end of the procession.
Mr Viglo said the municipal authorities, ECG and other relevant agencies had previously been informed about the concerns but that the organisers had yet to see what they considered meaningful action to resolve them.
He said the demonstration was consequently intended to serve as a public call for immediate intervention and accountability.
Security agencies have also been notified of the planned exercise to facilitate the maintenance of peace and order.
The organisers have urged residents, electricity consumers and other concerned citizens to participate peacefully and remain orderly throughout the demonstration.
They said the protest was not simply about electricity bills but also about “justice, dignity, accountability and the protection of consumer rights”.
Independent investigation planned
The planned demonstration comes against the backdrop of growing concerns over electricity billing and metering in parts of the Volta Region.
The Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Dr John Abdulai Jinapor, has announced plans for an independent investigation into complaints of alleged over-billing and faulty electricity meters in some communities in the region, including Keta.
The investigation is expected to be undertaken by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) and the Energy Commission following complaints from residents concerning the operations of ECG.
The planned inquiry and the September 1 demonstration are likely to bring renewed attention to longstanding concerns over estimated billing, meter accuracy, complaint resolution and consumer protection in the electricity distribution sector.
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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
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