ECG uncovers high incidence of meter tampering in Dansoman

The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has uncovered a high incidence of meter tampering in the Dansoman District in Accra.

The discovery involved newly-installed smart prepaid meters.

The illegalities were discovered during its monitoring as part of the Operation Keep the Lights On

In the course of the monitoring exercise, nine out of 10 meters installed by one of the contractors were found to have been tampered with.

Speaking to journalists on the issue, the acting Managing Director of the ECG, David Boadi Asamoah, said the illegality was purely technical.

Illegal

Mr Asamoah explained that about 70,000 of the smart prepaid meters had been installed but upon monitoring it in the course of Operation Keep the Lights On, it realised that some persons tampered with the meters every day.

“We are installing meters so that everybody will be happy, you buy what you want to use and these people go back to tamper with the meters — either they bypass the meter or they open the terminals, go into the meter, either cut relays or they do anything … so that the customer doesn't pay for what he consumes,” he said, describing the situation as criminal and destructive.

Mr Asamoah charged customers who engage the services of people to desist from the practice since it resulted in revenue losses, and that the “the more we condone and connive with these people to tamper with the meters, the more we do this country disservice. And we will never leave any stone unturned.”

Investigations

The acting ECG Managing Director said further investigations would be done as regards the discoveries that were made in Dansoman and anyone found culpable in such criminal acts would be made to face the law.

“So nobody will go scot-free. The processes of the law will be followed,” he emphasised.

The Director of Investigations, Prosecution and Security at ECG, Paul Abariga, said “based on the information that was given to us from the preliminary investigations from the regions, we have decided that the police attached to ECG conduct further investigations on those we have now as our subjects.

“It will be based on that investigation, the outcome of that, and we will now be able to tell who exactly we will be proceeding with to court.”

The issue, he said, was a matter that the company intended to prosecute.

He described the matter as serious, hence the need to put a stop to it.

“It is part of the reason the company its facing challenges with its revenue mobilisation, we must stop this immediately,” he said.