TV station closed down over illegal electricity connection, 3 officials arrested

A television station in Kumasi, Adehye TV, has been closed down and three of its officials arrested for illegal electricity connection.

According to engineers of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), the TV station did meter bypassing which is said to have cost the ECG about GH¢49,000 in revenue loss.

The detection of the illegal connection followed what officials described as strange reduction in the bills of the station somewhere in December last year, something that raised suspicions.

An ECG taskforce from Nhyiaeso on Friday stormed the premises of the television station and upon inspection, it was discovered that some electric power was bypassing the meter.

The station is being asked to pay GH¢49,000 or risk prosecution.

According to the ECG, the issue of illegal connection has over the years affected the revenue generation of the company.

As a result, the company will from June begin tracking illegal electricity connections to homes, businesses and offices in the Ashanti Region.

Speaking TV3, the Kumasi West Area Customer Service Manager, Christina Jato-Kaleo, urged the public to provide the company with information on illegal connections in their neighbourhoods in order to help address revenue losses to ECG.

She explained that ECG incurs losses whenever people engage in illegal connections and unauthorized re-connection of officially disconnected premises.

She warned those caught engaging in illegal network extension to their sites without approval from ECG will be dealt with.