The Western Regional Office of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has been adjudged the Most Responsive Utility Service Provider at the 2026 Western Regional Media and Corporate Social Investment (CSI) Awards organised by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA).
The award, presented at a ceremony held in Takoradi recognised the ECG Western Region for its responsiveness to customer concerns and its commitment to maintaining an effective channel of communication with the public and the media.
Held under the theme “Reporting Progress, Investing in People,” the maiden Western Regional Media and CSI Awards brought together journalists, media practitioners, corporate institutions, government representatives, traditional authorities and other stakeholders to celebrate excellence in journalism and recognise corporate contributions to regional development.
In its citation, the GJA commended ECG for its swift response to customer complaints, including localised power outages, prepaid meter installation and billing issues, as well as other service-related concerns.
Particular mention was made of the Western Regional office’s strong working relationship with the media, including the establishment of a WhatsApp platform involving senior ECG managers and journalists. The platform has provided an avenue for open and direct engagement, enabling journalists to report outages and other developments affecting the uninterrupted supply of electricity and obtain timely responses from the company.
The citation also singled out the ECG maintenance team at Sekondi for its commitment to restoring reliable power supply to communities.
In one notable instance, the team, with support from the regional maintenance team, reportedly spent more than 12 hours working in the rain to install 315kVA and 200kVA transformers at Shama after prolonged power outages had affected electricity supply to the Shama Municipal Assembly and the Municipal Hospital.
The recognition drew enthusiastic applause from guests at the ceremony, with several attendees offering personal accounts of ECG’s responsiveness.
One guest recounted how she reported a damaged electricity pole with wires hanging precariously around the Anaji SNNIT Flats area while on her way to work. “Before I could get to work, my daughter called me that some men from ECG were at the scene to fix it. By midday, the problem had been fixed. This is the kind of service we want and I think ECG is changing the face of customer service. So, for me, this award to them is in order,” she said.
“This award reflects not only the work of ECG’s management but also the efforts of field engineers, fault teams, maintenance crews and customer-facing staff whose work often takes place away from the public eye, sometimes under difficult conditions, to restore power and address customer concerns.”
*Benjamin Quarcoo recognised for transforming ECG’s public engagement*
The GJA also recognised a former Western Regional Public Relations Officer of ECG, Benjamin Quarcoo, for his contribution to strengthening the company’s public image and relationship with the media and communities. Mr. Quarcoo was honoured for “strengthening ECG’s image as a credible and trusted source of information, particularly in remote communities.”
His citation noted that although his tenure as Regional PRO was relatively short, his impact had been significant and continued to be felt. It credited him with helping the company navigate considerable reputational challenges while building a strong relationship with the media and adopting a strategic, community-centred approach to communication.
“He was an invaluable friend of the media and adopted a strategic, community-centred approach that took ECG beyond conventional communication into meaningful engagement with customers and communities,” the citation stated. It further acknowledged his support for community and social initiatives beyond ECG’s immediate corporate interests.
Quarcoo’s period as Regional PRO was marked by regular engagement with journalists on issues ranging from power outages and customer complaints to illegal connections, metering and public education. His role in providing timely information during service disruptions also made him a familiar source for the regional media. Public records show him regularly engaging the media on ECG operations and customer concerns, including the use of the ECG Power App, prepaid metering and efforts to address illegal meter activities.
The recognition of Quarcoo alongside the current ECG Western Regional office offered a notable acknowledgement of both institutional performance and the people who have helped shape the institution’s relationship with the public.
By Emmanuel Opoku, Tarkoradi