ECG retrieves GH¢2.4m worth of stolen power

The Tema Regional office of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has, between January and September this year, recovered about GH¢2.4 million of stolen power.

The amount was part of GH¢2.8 million worth of power some customers in the Region consumed illegally.

Acting Regional Commercial Manager of ECG, Emmanuel Seidu, revealed this to the Ghana News Agency on the sidelines of a media engagement with management of the Tema Regional ECG office.

Mr Seidu stated that 37,482 customers were visited during an operation and billed after it was detected that they stole power.

He cautioned customers against the stealing of power as they would be detected and billed with it.

He said mass installation pre-paid metres in four out of the seven districts in the Region was on going.

The Tema South District, he said, has completed 95 per cent of the installation, while the Nungua, Afienya and Prampram districts have done 70, 60, and 50 per cents installations respectively.

He indicated that customers currently not receiving bills for power used under the Self Help Electrification Project (SHEP) would be billed with all the power used when transferred onto the pre-paid metres.

Mr Seidu however noted that the company has decided to spread the payment of the compiled bills over a period of three months to reduce the burden on customers.

Mr Mark Asomani-Wiafe, ECG Tema Regional Engineer, said Tema had one of the best operation systems in the country as the region used overhead lines making it easy for engineers to identify faults.

Mr Asomani-Wiafe added that his outfit had also adopted the preventive maintenance approach as against the corrective maintenance system it used to run.

Mr Jones Ofori-Addo, Tema Regional ECG General Manager, said the engagement was to deepen relations between management and media practitioners as well as to address issues of concern to customers.

Mr Ofori-Addo gave the assurance that there were no sub-standard metres in Ghana as the Ghana Standard Authority had certified all meters before installation. He however said metres could be faulty and such faults should be reported at their offices.