10 persons within the Atwima Nwabiagya Municipality of the Ashanti Region have been arrested for allegedly engaging in illegal electricity connections in the area.
In a joint operation conducted by officers from the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Ghana Police Service, the officers observed that the 10 had been disconnected for failure to pay their electricity bills, and had reconnected themselves illegally.
All the suspects were arrested in various suburbs within Abuakwa, such as Manhyia, Maakro, Tanoso and other surrounding communities.
Speaking to the media after embarking on the exercise, the ECG Special Taskforce Manager, Ing. Fred Kwabena Bediako noted that they will continue to embark on a similar exercise in many areas to improve revenue generation.
The exercise was to improve revenue collection and reduce losses.
“This is coming from the moratorium given by our MD for us to bring in all the other illegal or unregistered meters that we have in our system so that we know the power people are consuming to rake in the revenue that is required. That is why we are clamping down on these illegal connections”, he said.
The ECG after declaring a month-long moratorium to its customers to voluntarily report faulty meters has resolved to prosecute anyone caught stealing power.
The utility court began its maiden trial to whip recalcitrant power thieves in line.
The meter audit and visibility exercise by the utility service provider began operating on August 1, 2022. The power distributor said it has uncovered over 1000 illegal connections.
Some of those customers have been surcharged, while others are being prosecuted by a team of police investigators.
