Ashanti PURC commends PDS, GWCL for improved services in region

The Ashanti Area Manager of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission, (PURC), Mr Francis Baidoo, has lauded the regional Power Distribution Service (PDS) and the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) for an improvement in the quality and reliability of their service this year in the region.

That, according to him, had enhanced usage and promoted businesses of their clients in the region.

Mr Baidoo urged the utility services to continue to provide quality services to their clients so there would be harmony and peace in the country.

He was speaking at the maiden meeting of stakeholders of utility services in the region, held in Kumasi.

Attendance

The forum, organised by the PDS in the Ashanti Region, was attended by representatives of the GWCL, Energy Commission, PURC and GRIDCo.

It was to brainstorm how to serve clients better in the region and beyond.

Mr Baidoo proposed that the forum should be institutionalised as it was a good avenue for resolving the many challenges confronting their operations.

Barekese

The PDS team disclosed that to ensure uninterrupted water supply to the Kumasi Metropolis and nearby communities, a double circuit tower from Adoato had been dedicated to the Barekese Water Works. The project, which is about 90 per cent completed, will start operating by end of June this year.

In addition, it said, another new sub-station had been completed at Barekese with a 20 MVA capacity transformer to be dedicated to the

Barekese pumping station to ensure that there was uninterrupted power supply to the pumping stations so it would continue to supply water to the people at all times.

In connection with the Asante Mampong water supply issues, it was stated that new power lines were currently under construction between Fawoade, Agona and Asante Mampong which, when completed, would boost power to the Mampong water station.

Obuasi water supply

The state of affairs at the Obuasi water supply system, however, was a little bit of a challenge according to the PDS, due to the fact that the power supply to the Esaase water plant near Obuasi was directly from the Western Region.

This makes it difficult for the Ashanti Strategic Business Unit (SBU) to change anything in connection with its operations.

Mr David Asamoah, Acting Director, Ashanti Strategic Business Unit (SBU) of PDS, explained that the unit always liaised with their counterparts in the Western Region when there was any form of challenge on their lines.

Among the commonest challenges that confront the western lines is that they pass through very thick forest and that occasionally leads to trees disrupting operations.

Mr Asamoah, however, gave an assurance that the issue of low current to water supply stations in the Ashanti Region would soon be a thing of the past.

Huge investments

According to him, the huge investment being made by the PDS was to ensure that every sector in the region had enough power at any point in time for effective business development.