The Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDco) has so far prosecuted 45 consumers in the Tamale Metropolitan Area for power theft.
The company’s rigid taskforce smoked them out for various offences including illegal connections and bypassing the newly installed prepaid meters.
The company through the law court raked in GHc50.000.00 from the defaulters.
It is against this backdrop that NEDco is joining forces with the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District assemblies within its operational zones to curb the menace.
NEDco’s Corporate Communications Manager, Maxwell Kotoka, is in the process of holding series of meetings with assembly members to educate them on the dangers associated with power theft.
At a meeting with members of the Sagnarigu District Assembly on the factors affecting the cost of power, Maxwell Kotoka described power theft in the region as a widespread phenomenon which required multifaceted approach to tackle it.
He said a few customers are paying realistic tariffs for power consumption.
According to him, the company always found it difficult breaking even because of power theft.
Maxwell Kotoka served notice that the company’s task-force will intensify their operations to clump down on the activities of power thieves.
He thereby admonished the assembly members to serve as ambassadors in their electoral areas by discouraging their constituents from power theft.
He also raised concern about the gruesome attacks meted out to the company’s officers who are mandated to replace the analogue with prepaid meters.
Maxwell Kotoka urged consumers of electricity to moderate the use of water heaters, blenders, air conditioners and iron as means of enhancing energy conservation.
“It is our exclusive right to change the old meters and I entreat you to advise your constituents to cooperate with us.”
Some of the assembly members accused NEDco of charging excessively high tariffs.
They also kicked against the installation of the new meters which they described as harsh.
NEDco, a power distributor operates in the three regions of the north and some parts of the Brong Ahafo, Ashanti and Volta Regions.
NEDco was established in 2005 as part of the government’s policy to reform the energy sector. NEDco’s operations cover over sixty percent of the total land area of Ghana.
The company also supplies power to Dapaong in Togo as well as the border towns of Po, Leo and Yuoga in Burkina Faso.
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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/Citifmonline.com/Ghana