Eight ECG transformers stolen in Tema within six months - General Manager

The Tema Regional Office of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) lost eight transformers to vandalism and theft over two consecutive quarters, Emmanuel Ankomah, the Regional General Manager, has said.

He said five transformers were stolen in the last quarter of 2025, while three more were lost in the first quarter of 2026.

Ankomah explained that replacing a single 200 kVA transformer costs about GH¢200,000, noting that the losses had imposed a significant financial burden on the company and affected its operations and revenue generation.

He urged the public to be vigilant and verify whether persons working on transformers in their communities had been officially assigned by the ECG.

Ankomah said the thieves usually target copper coils, aluminium windings and laminated steel cores, explaining that the removal of such components required technical knowledge of how transformers were constructed.

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He noted that incidents of transformer vandalism had been reported to the security services, while public awareness had been enhanced through district assemblies and local announcements, among other measures, to help curb the menace.

Ankomah said the ECG had established fault centres to respond promptly to challenges to ensure uninterrupted power supply and prevent consumers from resorting to alternative sources of electricity.

He explained that delays in restoring electricity often compelled customers to seek other power sources, which further strained the company’s service delivery.

Ankomah emphasised that transformer vandalism posed a serious threat to ECG’s revenue, stressing that the high cost of replacing stolen or damaged transformers, coupled with disruptions in electricity distribution, adversely affected the company’s financial performance and its capacity to provide reliable services.