ECG Steps Up Campaign Against Power Theft

The Ghanaian Electricity Company (ECG) has launched a monthly campaign to combat power theft and improve revenue collection.

The Tema North, Afienya, Prampram, Ada, Nungua, Tema South, and Ashaiman districts all actively participated in the campaign, with the exception of the Krobo district, which did not.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Tema, Mrs Cynthia Bannerman, ECG Tema South District Manager, identified Communities: One to Six; Fishing Harbour, Tema Newtown, and parts of the industrial area as the campaign zone under the Tema South District.

She said seven teams were formed, with members drawn from all of the region’s and district’s sections.

Mrs Bannerman said the teams primarily worked at Bankuman in Tema Newtown and visited 350 customers, the majority of whom were residential with a few non-residential customers.

She went on to say that in total, 36 illegalities were discovered in the area, including meter tampering, bypass, incorrect tariff class use, direct connection, and unauthorized service connection.

Customers greeted them warmly, she said, and requested that ECG staff visit them frequently because, in addition to checking the integrity of their meters, they also educated people on ECG policies and procedures.

She stated that the campaign against power theft would be held on a monthly basis because power theft drained the company’s finances and had a technical impact, according to her.

“Those few persons engaged in illicit practices should cease,” she said, “so that ECG can pursue customer-oriented projects to improve our service delivery.”

She stated that “my advice to the public is to desist from illegal connection because it is a criminal act, which can lead to prosecution, also customers can report any suspected illegality to our offices, when the report is validated and confirmed, and the informants will be given an incentive.”

Mr Yaw Ohenebeng Kissi, ECG Ashaiman District Manager, on his part said the exercise went well in his area, with staff visiting over 140 customers who were predominantly prepaid clients in Ashaiman Newtown.

Mr Kissi said due to the interactive nature of the campaign instead of rigid enforcement, the customers were happy to see the staff visiting their premises as they talked about some of their power challenges.

He said there were some few issues of usage of substandard cables, meters fixed away from main structures due to the nature of settlements in the area giving way to bypass.

He noted that the campaign was an affirmation that the ECG would continue to monitor its meters and most customers were now complying and stopping engagement in illegalities.

The Ashaiman District Manager reiterated that there was the need for the public to report illegalities to the Company as according to him, ECG spent lots of money to transmit power to clients.