C/R ECG to inject GH¢117m to boost operations this year
The Central Regional branch of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has sought approval to inject GH¢117 million into its operations this year.
The Central Regional General Manager of the ECG, Emmanuel Lumor, speaking at a press interaction on Thursday, said about 200 new transformers would be installed in the region this year.
He said the ECG in the region would continue to replace prepaid meters, expand reach to areas without electricity and ensure maintenance of its network in the region.
Mr Lumor said the region would also improve its systems at its main power source to improve efficiency and help the region attract the needed investors that would promote growth.
Reduce outages
Mr Lumor said the region was targeting to reduce its outages by 80 per cent, working with all stakeholders to ensure the company improved its customer service.
Installation of new meters in parts of Cape Coast
He said the ECG was aware that its efforts at ensuring a stable electricity supply in the region had helped to attract many businesses to the region, especially around the Winneba-Kasoa enclave.
He said the management believed that posterity would not forgive them if they were not able to work to ensure efficiency and promote their well-being.
He said illegal connections and technical losses were causing huge costs to the ECG in the region, saying the regional office wants to reduce these to the barest minimum.
On the operations of the ECG in the region last year, Mr Lumor said the ECG replaced 193,000 prepaid meters in Winneba, Swedru, Cape Coast and Kasoa to improve efficiency and undertook extensive maintenance on overhead lines to ensure electricity stability to ensure customer satisfaction and promote businesses.
Also, he said the ECG installed 120 new transformers and 15,000 postpaid meters across the region to further boost the efficiency of supply and reduce customer complaints.
He said as part of its corporate social responsibility, 30,000 streetlights were purchased and installed across the region to improve security in communities.
Illegal connections
Mr Lumor expressed concern about illegal connections, the stealing of electric transformers and the cutting of overhead electricity lines which he said had become a source of concern for the ECG.
He revealed that 14,000 metres of overhead electricity lines belonging to the ECG were stolen last year, saying that was one major issue that impacted stable electricity supply in the region.
He said GH₵10,000 had been set aside for informants that would lead to the arrest of perpetrators.
He urged the media to continue educating the public on the need to pay their electricity bills to help the ECG to serve them better.
Fake meters
He stressed that the ECG was taking stringent measures to reduce the number of fake meters in the system, warning that anyone caught involved in installing fake meters would not be spared.