Accra, Feb. 11 GNA - Mr Kobina Tahir Hammond, the Deputy Minister for Energy, on Wednesday urged the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to upgrade and update their computer network to avert any confrontations by clients.

He said incorrect and misleading bills only add up the revenue mobilisation difficulties.

Mr. Hammond said this in Accra at the first national best ECG employees' award to reward employers who have distinguished themselves in the course of their duties over a number of years.

The deputy Minister called on ECG to improve on their commercial operations saying, "the present situation where the total losses in the ECG system is about 26 per cent, of which 15 per cent is due to commercial losses alone does not speak well of you. I urge you to cut waste, combat power theft and ensure that the high level of losses is reduced".

He entreated management to improve human resource capacity with the upgrade of equipment and operational process as a joint effort to ensure efficiency and productivity.

"We are in discussions with ECG management to secure 25 million dollars in addition to what have been provided to further improve the distribution system and it is our expectation that the distribution systems projects will commence this year".

Mr Stephen Akuoko, acting Managing Director of ECG said the company had taken strenuous measures to ensure that consumers were satisfied. He explained that computerisation of the finance, materials, transport, administration directorates and Distribution Engineering and Geographic Information System (DEGIS) have also been put in place to improve supply reliability and customer services.

Mr Akuoko revealed that the company's management would put in motivational packages for staff to ensure increase in productivity. Mr. Bismark Armah, technician engineer at the central sub-transmission division of the company won the overall national best employee.

He took away a 25-inch colour television, five million cedis and a plaque as his price.

Other award winners included Mr Ebo Sagoe, Samuel Agyapong, Ms Merinda Ocran, Mr Emmanuel Petterson, Charles Baiden, Edmund Osafo Ahenkrah and Felix Akpoglo.