On July 30, 2025, six communities in the Akosombo area formally petitioned the Minister of Energy and Green Transition, demanding redress over what they call unfair electricity billing practices by the Volta River Authority (VRA).
The petition, signed by traditional leaders and residents from Akosombo, New Powmu, Mangoase, Afabeng, Ankyease, and Ghanakpe, highlights grievances over excessive electricity debts and monthly service charges they deem discriminatory.
According to the petitioners, the issue stems from VRA’s installation of uncalibrated meters, which allegedly inflated electricity bills and led to unsustainable arrears for many households.
After public protests, the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) intervened, replacing the meters with prepaid units, resulting in a sharp drop in power usage — which residents say proves the original meters were faulty.
Despite this, the VRA has refused to cancel or adjust the accumulated debts, instead directing the communities to escalate the matter to the Presidency.
Further aggravating the situation, VRA imposes a monthly service charge of GH¢39.00 to GH¢42.00, compared to GH¢11.00 to GH¢12.00 charged by ECG in nearby towns, fueling allegations of pricing injustice.
VRA claims the charges are PURC-approved, but residents argue the discrepancy is unjustified and inconsistent, calling for immediate regulatory intervention.
The petition, backed by respected figures such as Nana Asare Akowuah III and Togbe Ocloo A.R. Ater Havor, has been copied to key government officials, including the Chief of Staff and the PURC Board Chair.
With decades of unresolved protests and rising community anger, residents are warning of potential unrest if the Ministry and PURC fail to act swiftly to address their concerns.