Officials of Accra East ECG in a pose with MMDCEs and delegates at the meeting.
THE ELECTRICITY Company of Ghana (ECG) has called for support and collaboration from the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in the Accra East Operational Region of the company to better serve its customers as well as address some challenges facing the company.
Some of the major areas which ECG is seeking partnership with the MMDCEs include street lighting which has been characterised by vandalism, theft and damage of street lighting infrastructure and components.
Such damages, the company indicated, included vehicles running into the poles, haphazard digging or excavation by third parties that damaged underground cables etc.
Speaking at a stakeholder meeting with MMDCEs in Accra, Jonathan Asante, Commercial Manager of the Accra East Region of ECG, expressed concern about the negative impacts some of the activities of the local authorities were having on the smooth operations of the power distributor which often resulted in additional operational costs.
According to him, the installation of streetlights without recourse to ECG made it difficult for the company to update its data on number and types of streetlights promptly, thereby leading to losses.
“These installations on our network poles may also interfere with our maintenance activities as they get in the way and may pose safety hazards to staff who climb our poles to carry out maintenance activities,” Mr. Asante indicated.
He, therefore, called on the assemblies to “assist by providing information on streets, their names and lengths to be the basis for compiling a more credible streetlight data. This information would also enable the assemblies to promptly assess and provide their streetlight needs.”
Other areas of concern where ECG is seeking partnership with the MMDCEs include the erection of projects close to existing utility corridors. The assemblies have been urged not to allow such but ensure all developments were eight metres from the high-tension lines.
“Assemblies should include existing lines in their planning schemes and plans. This record will prevent litigation. Assist in engaging stakeholders who are affected by projects initiated in your jurisdiction,” he added.
Mr. Asante also lamented about the phenomenon of illegal connections and indicated that between January and August this year, Accra East Region recorded 1,859 illegal power meters being used by urban residential customers.
That, he attributed to a large number of Self-Help Electrification Programme (SHEP) which was introduced by government to drive electricity access across the country.
“These meters are considered illegal as they have not been processed to enable standardised readings, billing, etc., and their consumption is not captured in the grid system leading to commercial losses to the distributor,” he revealed.
Mr. Asante, however, indicated that ECG was clamping down on these illegal installations by intensifying house to house meter auditing and regular meter checks.
MMDCEs and delegates from Shai Osudoku, Korle Klottey, Ayawaso Central, North, East, and West, La Nkwantanan, Ledzorkuku, La Dadekotopong, Akwapem North and South, Okere and Adentan were present at the meeting.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak