The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has raised concerns over the growing rate of meter tampering across the country, which has led to an increase in technical losses for the company.
During a press conference on Monday, February 3, the company revealed that in Dansoman alone, around 10% of the 70,000 installed meters had been tampered with, causing them to under-record electricity consumption.
David Boadi Asamoah, Acting Managing Director of ECG, issued a stern warning, stating that anyone caught engaging in illegal activities related to meter tampering would face the full force of the law.
“We will conduct thorough investigations, and there are laws in this country. After our investigations, law enforcement agencies like the police will take over,” he explained. “Once the police complete their work, the case will proceed to court, where the law on the case will be applied because this is stealing—it’s a criminal offence.”
Asamoah assured the public that no one involved, whether a contractor, electrician, or customer, would be spared. “We will not spare anybody if you are caught in this; we will pursue those responsible and ensure that the beneficiaries face the consequences as well.”
He also highlighted the detrimental impact of such acts on ECG’s operations, stressing that collusion between customers and contractors to manipulate meters was undermining the company’s financial stability, which in turn affects the country’s economic growth.
He bemoaned the fact that such unpatriotic behaviour by customers who collude with contract workers of ECG to render meters dysfunctional is affecting their operations and, by extension, eroding the gains of the state.
The government has set in motion plans to privatize ECG to cut losses and enhance efficiency. Despite a divided front on this subject, ECG, in its current state, is struggling due to numerous illegal activities and power theft.
The Acting Managing Director, Asamoah, called for a robust plan to curb system losses.
