ECG disconnects small-scale mining firm from national grid for illegal connection

ECG disconnects small-scale mining firm from national grid for illegal connection
By Benjamin Aidoo -August 15, 20240645

A surprise check on a small-scale mining firm at Kwapra in Ashanti Region has exposed the company as one of the many making Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) lose revenue through illegal connection.

In addition to the huge amounts owed ECG by unpaying subscribers, the company is said to lose 13% of its total revenue to illegal connections.

Following the discovery at the small-scale mining firm, power to the company was immediately disconnected, while the officials from the mining firm have been invited by ECG officials and handed to the police for further investigations.

During the visit to the mining firm by the revenue protection section of the Ashanti South ECG officials, it was discovered that the meter at the place had been tampered with and some of the supplies made to bypass the meter.

ECG officials declined to disclose the name of the company but named the one who secured the transformer and meter for the company.

For now, ECG officials said they have made losses of about GHC2 million. But , officials from the company say they are not aware about the situation.

The company has embarked on an exercise dubbed ‘Operations fix the bill’. They inspect all meters and ECG installations to check illegal connections, and it was during one of the operations that workers of ECG saw the illegal connection.

The General Manager of Ashanti South Region of ECG, Ing Daniel Mensah Asare, warned customers against illegal connections.

He said the exercise is to enable ECG rake in more revenue for their operations.

“We need money badly to enable us to operate and serve our customers better. If for any reason, you have a meter that is not functioning the way it is supposed to function, we entreat everybody to go to our office and make sure you pay for the power you are consuming.

“Because for the next several weeks before the year ends, we will be visiting our meters thoroughly. We will visit every meter in the Ashanti Region,” he said.

The Head of Revenue Protection Section of Ashanti South Region, Kwaku Baah, said as part of the exercise many of their customers have been disconnected.

According to him, the exercise has led to a number of illegal connections in the Ashanti South Region. Mr Baah bemoaned the fact that illegal connections are affecting the financial strength of the company