The Role of Pre-Paid Meters in Energy Efficiency Promotion: Merits and Demerits in Accra, Ghana

摘要

In most cases economic progress is typically associated with the appearance of new products and the disappearance of old products with the former dominating the latter with available characteristics. The study analysed consumers’ views of the recently introduced electricity prepaid metres in the Accra East section of the country’s capital, Accra. It mainly analysed the various prepaid metres introduced by Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) which are still in use since their inception. The study focused on three types of prepaid metres in use in the study area, namely Electro Cash, BOT/BXC, and Pay and Smile. Primary data was used for the study and structured questionnaires were used to collect data from 180 respondents. A multistage sampling approach which employed purposive, stratified and simple random sampling was used to select the respondents. Garrett’s ranking technique and the probit regression were used to analyse the data collected. The study indicated that prepaid meters have fostered untold freedom to consumers but there are some challenges still associated with its implementation in the country. There are also challenges associated with the use of prepaid meters at both ends. That is, the consumers of prepaid meters have challenges and ECG also have challenges. The study conclude that irrespective of the challenges, the prepaid meter system have a high prospect and the highest possibility of ensuring efficient management and use of electricity in the country and thus suggest or recommend few issues to be address by ECG for effective and smooth running of the prepaid meter system in Ghana.