Two installed electrical transformers of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), serving communities within the Accra East region, especially the Dodowa area, have been vandalised and vital components stolen.
The 200KVA capacity transformer at Kodiabe worth Ghc120,000, and the 50KVA capacity transformer at Ayikuma worth GH¢40,000, were vandalised and parts stolen by unscrupulous persons in last month and this month.
Accra East Regional General Manager of the ECG, Bismark Otoo, who confirmed this in an interview with the Ghanaian Times, in Accra, yesterday, said the incidence that resulted in disruption of power supply, has been reported to the police at Dodowa for investigations and further action.
He appealed to the general public to volunteer information to the ECG or police for the arrest of persons who vandalise and steal parts of electrical transformers.
Mr Otoo said early, similar incidents occurred in Agomeda and Nyanya in the Dodowa District, but power has been restored to those areas.
He said “the company is spending huge sums of money to replace vandalised transformers to ensure continuous supply of electricity. If we keep on replacing vandalised or stolen transformers; imagine the amount of money the company would be losing.”
Mr Otoo gave the assurance that ECG would continue to ensure stable and reliable electricity supply to customers, and appealed to the public to assist in safeguarding all ECG installations from being vandalised.
“All electrical equipment installed in communities are for the benefit of the community, and so we all have to be vigilant and also take good care of equipment so that a few miscreants do not deny us of the benefits of power supply,” he appealed.
Mr Otoo stressed that the general public should report any suspicious persons seen around ECG installations to the nearest ECG office or police station as well as through the ECG Power App.”
“We appeal to the public to assist us in dealing with this situation. We entreat the public to take pictures, if possible of suspicious persons seen around ECG Installations. We will act on the report immediately to avert any act of vandalism,” he added.
BY CECILIA LAGBA YADA