Management of the Electricity Company of Ghana in the Eastern Region has made a passionate appeal to residents in the region to set up watchdog committees in their neighborhoods to help protect transformers and other equipment of the company against thefts.
According to the power distribution company, this appeal has become necessary following an upsurge in transformer thefts in the region by unknown persons.
Seven transformers have come under attack within a month, a 50 kv transformer installed for streetlights at Oyoko Roundabout near Koforidua last week Tuesday was taken away.
ECG disclosed that thieves also brought down a transformer at Pampaso No 1 in the Suhum district, opened the tank, and made away with the copper wires.
An attempt was also made on Tuesday night on another transformer of the company at Oboma farms in Kade.
The Public Relations Officer of ECG in the Eastern Region, Emmanuel Halm in an interview with Citi News disclosed that the unidentified thieves last night cut off the cables, and disconnected panels of the transformer plunging the entire community into darkness however managed to escape when some passerby raised alarm.
“We have been hit by a worrying trend which is a surge in transformer thefts. We have visited seven electricity-mounted transformers and four transformers have been brought down and the thieves attempted to open the tanks of the transformers, and they often steal the copper wires. Just this Monday, we were hit by another theft near the Kade District
“We are therefore appealing to the general public to help us to apprehend such culprits who come around our transformers.”
