ECG disconnects FAWE FM over alleged power theft

The Accra West Region of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), has disconnected Forum for Women Educationalists (FAWE) FM, a community radio station, at Fotobi, near Nsawam in the Eastern Region, for stealing power.

The illegal act of the radio station was discovered after a team of technical staff visited the premises and discovered that connections to several gadgets, including the station’s transmitter and air conditioners, were not read by the meter.

The radio station has, therefore, been surcharged with an amount of Gh¢35,000.00 for the period of unpaid power, and the illegal connection.

The acting General Manager (GM) of the Accra West Region of the ECG, Mr Emmanuel Ankomah, in an interview with the Ghanaian Times, said the company became suspicious of the power theft, after examining the billing records of the station.

He said a team of technical investigators verified the condition of the electrical connections, and noticed that the meter only recorded power consumptions of computers and lights.

 The acting GM warned the public to desist from illegal electricity connection and power theft, since this deprives the company of needed revenue to pay power producers and improve supply to communities.

 According to Mr Ankomah, ECG was on a drive to reduce losses, by identifying and punishing persons who were using power for free.

He said  earlier  this year, the Managing Director of ECG, Kwame Agyeman-Budu, announced a new campaign dubbed, ‘If you see something, say something, and say it now,’ to encourage people to report incidents of illegal electricity connection to homes, offices and institutions.

 Mr  Ankomah said, “We have put in place measures to protect the identity of all informants, and we will pay six per cent of the penalty amount to the informant, once the report is verified.”

BY TIMES REPORTER