The Tema Region of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has retrieved GH¢88,184.56 from customers who engaged in illegal power connections during the Christmas holidays.

The money was recovered during a one-week exercise aimed at clamping down on illegal connections within the Tema Region during the festive season.

With assistance from the Tema Regional Police Command, the Revenue Protection Unit of the Tema Region of the ECG recovered 75,400kwh units which was equivalent to GH¢88,184.56.

The illegalities

The General Manager of the Tema Region of the ECG, Mr Joseph Mensah Forson, explained that the exercise was to audit the electricity connections of commercial premises including hotels, pub, drinking spots and shops.

The exercise was conducted in the four districts of the region, namely Nungua, Tema South, Tema North and Afienya districts.

Mr Forson noted that the technical team of the ECG who went on the operation uncovered illegal power connections including meter tampering, meter by-pass and illegal self reconnection.

Hotel engages in power theft

He added that the Revenue Protection Unit of the ECG discovered that three meters that were installed in one hotel had been tampered with.

Mr Forson explained that the illegal activities of the culprits were intended to bypass the ECG systems to avoid paying for the electricity they consumed.

The culprits have since been surcharged, Mr Forson said, adding that investigations were still ongoing.

Following the success of the exercise, he said it would be sustained throughout the year to ensure that illegal connections were drastically reduced.

Source: Graphic online