Some staff of the Agona District ECG
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Agona District in the Western Region, has embarked on an exercise to remove and replace unauthorised or fake meters at Benso in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality.
During the exercise, 170 unauthorised meters were removed, 90 new service connections installed, and 41 already regularized fake meters replaced. In total, 300 single-phase meters were installed.
This followed the Agona District’s observation of a growing proliferation of unauthorised meters across several communities within its operational area. The initiative forms part of the region’s goal to reduce system losses by 4 percent this year.
To facilitate the process, the Agona District of ECG set up a customer service desk equipped with the necessary logistics to remove and replace the unauthorised meters.
The Acting District Manager, Ing. Godwin Yao Yabameh, described the exercise as an exceptional example of customer service delivery to the people of Benso.
He said the activity was carried out after extensive engagement with the chief, opinion leaders, and Assembly Members of the community.
Ing. Yabameh explained that the infiltration of unauthorised meters was causing commercial losses and affecting revenue generation.
“Therefore, with the support of management, the district visited the Benso community to explain the effects of fake or unauthorized meters and to encourage residents to apply for new service connections,” he said.
He added, “Benso is about 54 kilometres from the Agona main district office. Therefore, bringing our services to the doorstep of customers and installing meters within a day is worthy of commendation.”
The Regional Commercial Manager, Emmanuel Sam, commended the initiative, noting that it would enhance customer engagement and improve service delivery.
He added that ECG fully supports the removal of unauthorized meters from its network as part of efforts to reduce system losses.
In a related development, the District Manager for Bogoso, Ing. Benjamin Dodoo, also undertook a similar exercise, during which about 500 unauthorized meters in the Prestea Bondae, Asikuma, and Jakpa communities were replaced.
The General Manager, Ing. Emmanuel J. Ofori, expressed his satisfaction with the initiatives and pledged management’s continued support to provide the necessary logistics and materials to curb the proliferation of unauthorized meters within ECG’s network.
“We are working closely with the police to root out those who install these fake meters in our system,” he stated.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi