As the harmattan season intensifies, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has appealed to the public, urging them to actively protect the company’s infrastructure from the threat of bushfires.
Mr Charles Nii Ayiku Ayiku, General Manager in Charge of External Communications, ECG highlighted the critical role that community involvement plays in safeguarding electricity poles and installations to prevent service interruptions.
During an interview with the media, Mr Ayiku emphasised the impact of frequent interruptions on ECG’s operations, explaining that replacing fire-damaged poles requires substantial effort and time, often resulting in prolonged outages.
He stressed that the heightened risk of bushfires poses a significant threat to ECG’s service delivery, with an increasing number of electricity poles being affected in operational areas.
“Our operational areas are witnessing bushfires, especially the farming zones, causing substantial damage to our installations, particularly the poles and equipment. This disrupts power supply and imposes a financial burden on the company as significant resources are expended to replace the affected infrastructure,” Mr Ayiku stated.
The General Manager underscored the importance of community support in mitigating the impact of bushfires, acknowledging that such assistance has already played a vital role in addressing damages.
He implored the public to remain vigilant and promptly report any fires near electricity poles to the Fire Service or the ECG.
Additionally, Mr Ayiku encouraged citizens to extinguish fires when safe proactively.
Expressing concern over bushfires, Mr Ayiku called upon opinion leaders, customers, and the general public to collaborate with the ECG in curbing this threat.
He specifically addressed farmers, advising them to construct fire belts before clearing and burning their farmlands to prevent uncontrolled fires that endanger electricity infrastructure.
The appeal comes at a crucial time when the harmattan season is at its peak, and the ECG strives to ensure an uninterrupted power supply. By fostering a sense of shared responsibility, the company aims to enlist public support in preserving critical infrastructure and maintaining the reliability of electricity services. The ECG hopes this collective effort will contribute to a safer and more reliable power supply system amid challenging environmental conditions.
