The Ghana Electrical Contractors Association (GECA) has entreated the management of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to expedite actions to solve the regular shortage of meters to help reduce power theft in Ghana.
In a statement released in Accra on 14 October 2023 and signed by GECA President, Awal Mohamed Sakib, the association said the lapses in the operations of ECG are giving room for power theft and illegal sales of meters at exorbitant prices by some individuals within and outside the ECG.
“It is important to state that, the perennial unavailability of energy meters, poor data and network systems as well as materials shortages within the ECG operational regions are contributing to these irregularities” GECA stressed.
According to GECA, the utility providers are already saddled with a lot of technical and commercial losses, hence the least that GECA can do as third-party contractors is to help reduce these losses as much as possible.
“We encourage the ECG to use every available legal means to ensure a successful prosecution of any person involved in illegal power activity.
GECA is against any form of illegal activity and hereby admonishes Electrical Contractors in the country to desist from any form of illegal practice that worsens Ghana’s electricity challenges and tarnishes the hard earned reputation of the entire electrical fraternity.”
GECA has tasked its leadership at the regional and district levels to report any suspected illegal practices to the appropriate ECG offices and ensure that due action is taken.
Additionally, the lack of effective communication from ECG Management on the aforementioned is making contractors and service applicants desperate, and therefore contributing to the rise in illegal service connections.
GECA will like to use this opportunity to encourage the ECG Management to take immediate steps to ensure that the challenges customers face during service applications and connections are urgently addressed.
“We are confident that this would help reduce the worrying practices of illegal connections and extortions within the ECG operational areas and also improve the bottom line” the statement concluded.
Source: 3news.com