ECG calls for stronger measures to deal with illegal meters

The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has called for stronger regulatory measures to curb the importation of unauthorised electricity meters and clamp down on illegal connections, which continue to erode the compa­ny’s revenue and operational efficiency.

The call was made by Mr George Amoah, General Manager of ECG Ashanti West, during a visit by the Executive Secretary of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), Dr Shafic Suleman, to the region yesterday.

Mr Amoah noted that the current Legislative Instru­ment (L.I. 2413) lacks the necessary punitive strength and does not explicitly grant ECG exclusive rights to im­port electricity meters.

“This regulatory gap has allowed individuals to import and distribute fake meters, increasing our losses. We appeal to the PURC to work with the Energy Commission to strengthen the law, punish customers who install such meters, and criminalise illegal connections,” he stressed.

Dr Suleman, who was on a regional tour to familiarise himself with PURC’s opera­tions and engage stakehold­ers, acknowledged the con­cerns and assured ECG of the Commission’s readiness to support such reforms.

He commended ECG for its improved revenue collec­tion performance in the first quarter of 2025, noting that the company has consistently collected nearly GH¢ 1.4 bil­lion monthly since the start of the year.

“This is a step in the right direction and crucial to keeping the lights on,” Dr Suleman stated, adding that as Chairman of the Cash Wa­terfall Mechanism (CWM), he was in talks with the Energy Minister to enhance ECG’s standing within the mech­anism to ensure consistent cash flow.

The Executive Secretary emphasised the importance of collaboration between utilities and the Commission and announced plans to create a WhatsApp platform for improved communication among stakeholders — in­cluding utilities, consumers, regional authorities, and security agencies.

Alhaji Jabaru Abukari, PURC’s Director of Regional Operations and Consumer Services, also urged ECG staff to remain patient and professional in their dealings with customers, while en­couraging consumers to meet their payment obligations.

Dr Suleman was accompa­nied by a team from PURC, including Alhaji Abukari, Dr Eric Kofi Obutey, Dr Robert Tia Abdulai Aziz, Mr Regi­nald Osei Asibey, Ms Fauzia Tanko, and the management of PURC Ashanti Region.

 KINGSLEY E.HOPE, KUMASI

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