The Executive Secretary of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), Dr. Shafic Suleman, says the true value of the Commission’s new head office will ultimately be measured by stronger regulation, improved service delivery and its contribution to Ghana’s industrialisation and long-term economic growth, rather than the grandeur of the facility.
Delivering the opening remarks at the commissioning of PURC’s new head office building complex, Dr. Suleman described the occasion as a defining moment in the Commission’s institutional journey, marking its transition into a permanent facility it can proudly call its own.
“This building complex represents a significant investment in the future of utility regulation in Ghana,” he said.
He explained that the new headquarters has been deliberately designed to respond to the increasing complexity of regulating Ghana’s electricity, water and natural gas transmission sectors, at a time when the country’s utility landscape is undergoing significant transformation.
According to Dr. Suleman, PURC has evolved considerably over the past three decades, moving beyond an institution largely associated with tariff reviews to become an important regulator influencing the financial and operational performance of the country’s utility sector.
The new facility, he said, reflects that evolution. It features a modern boardroom, conference facilities for stakeholder engagements, state-of-the-art training rooms, electricity and water meter laboratories, and an ultra-modern real-time monitoring room intended to strengthen regulatory oversight and visibility.
Dr. Suleman said the Commission’s progress over the past one-and-a-half years has also been underpinned by efforts to maintain a financially viable utility sector.
He particularly credited the Cash Waterfall Mechanism, saying improvements in cash flows to sector institutions had contributed to PURC’s ability to fully pay for the new headquarters.
He commended the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Dr. John Abdulai Jinapor, for his leadership and efforts to improve financial discipline within the power sector.
The PURC Executive Secretary also acknowledged successive boards, former Executive Secretaries, management and staff of the Commission, as well as government and other stakeholders whose contributions over the years helped build the institution.
He reserved particular praise for PURC staff, who he said had endured years of working in congested office spaces, describing the new headquarters as both a privilege and a responsibility.
But Dr. Suleman cautioned that occupying a modern building must come with higher standards of professionalism, accountability and service to the public.
“The true measure of this facility should go beyond its impressive architecture to the quality of regulation we deliver in supporting industrialisation and the long-term economic growth agenda of government.”
He urged staff to regard the facility as an opportunity to raise the standard of the Commission’s work and strengthen its responsibility to consumers, utility providers and the wider Ghanaian economy.
Dr. Suleman described the new headquarters as a symbol of PURC’s institutional growth and the collective sacrifices of generations of commissioners and staff, while stressing that its lasting significance will depend on the quality of regulation delivered from within its walls.
