Desist from power theft - Minister urges Tamale residents

The Minister of Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor, has cautioned the public against illegal connection, describing the act as a significant threat to power supply in the country.

He said the increasing rate of power theft could cause a possible blackout in the country, particularly in the Tamale Metropolis where the menace was dire.

He pointed out that 50 per cent of the country’s power theft cases were recorded in the Northern Region, with more than 70 per cent of residents in the Tamale Metropolis reportedly engaging in illegal electricity connections.

This, he said, had resulted in losses in millions of cedis in revenue to the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo).

“One of the major problems we’re facing in the NEDCo area is illegal connection.

Indeed, when you look at the losses, over 50 per cent of what we experience nationally comes from the Northern Region. And of this, 70 per cent is from Tamale alone, which is very worrying,” he stated.

Mr Jinapor said this during a working visit to Tamale, where he familiarised himself with various stakeholders and sought their support to tackle power theft in the area.

As part of the visit, he inspected the construction work of a NEDCo sub-station at Lameshegu and Adubiliyili.

“These illegal connections are draining the system.

While many good customers pay their bills promptly, their efforts are undermined by the actions of a few who bypass the system.

This is unfair and unsustainable,” he said.

Sensitisation

To address the situation, he said the Ministry, in collaboration with the NEDCo, had intensified public education campaigns to sensitise communities to the dangers and consequences of power theft, adding that this would be followed by an aggressive mass disconnection and revenue mobilisation exercise.

“We are not only enforcing the laws, but we are also educating the public.

We believe that a well-informed community will be part of the solution,” he added.

The Minister, therefore, appealed to traditional rulers, assembly members, and all relevant stakeholders to support NEDCo to address the menace and ensure the success of the mass revenue mobilisation exercise.

Touching on efforts to improve a stable electricity supply in the area, he reiterated the government’s commitment to improving infrastructure to meet growing demand in the metropolis and the region at large.

Pledge

For his part, the Northern Regional Minister, Adolf Ali John, pledged his support towards addressing the power theft in the region.

He, however, appealed to NEDCo to offer a two-week grace period for customers in arrears to settle their debts, saying “some people genuinely want to pay but need just a little more time.

We’re urging NEDCo to consider this to improve collections”.

Writer’s email:mohammed.
fugu@graphic.com.gh