By Maxwell Awumah
Ho, April 6, GNA – The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has disconnected some 200 customers in Dambai, in the Krachi East Municipality, for nonpayment of electricity bills.
The disconnections were done as part of the Company’s one-month nationwide revenue mobilisation exercise, which began on 20th March 2023.
The ECG is embarking on a nationwide exercise to retrieve about 5.7 billion Cedis from its debtors with about GHC220 million in the Volta and Oti Regions.
Mr Michael Buabin, the acting Volta Regional General Manager of ECG, said the 200 customers, who were disconnected from the national grid, owed GHC 780,000.
He added that some customers were disconnected from the pole because they reconnected themselves.
“During the disconnection exercise, we noticed that some customers normally reconnect themselves after we disconnect from the meter, so such customers were disconnected from the pole and were asked to visit the District Office to settle their indebtedness.”
Mr Buabin reiterated that the more customers consumed power; ECG also made money so “we don’t take delight in disconnecting customers since we don’t get revenue from unserved power.”
He said some customers in remote areas of the Dambai District owed GHC5,000 and above, which was worrying and so disconnection was the safest measure to reduce clients’ debt profile.
The ECG office in the Oti Regional Capital Dambai has visited areas like Katanga, Tokoroano, Dormabin, Asukawkaw and the Dambai Market since the exercise began to collect revenue.
According to Mr Buabin, the Company achieved its target for the first two weeks, collecting over GHC700,000 in the Dambai enclave since the exercise began.
Mr. Solomon Adjiku, the Acting Dambai District Manager, announced that the Company had apprehended a customer, who engaged in illegal connection in Dambai District and has since been handed over to the Police.
He appealed to customers to desist from illegal connection since its criminal to steal power, which attracted summarily jail term, when found guilty.
“The ECG is appealing to all customers to make the payment of electricity bills as one of their topmost priorities to enable the company keep the electricity supply chain operational since the revenue ECG gathers from customers keeps our lights on,” he said.
Customers can pay their bills by downloading the ECG PowerApp on google play store or AppStore or through the USSD shortcode *226#.
GNA