ECG appeals for public support in preventing bushfires

The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has appealed to the public to actively assist to protect the company's infrastructure from the threat of bush fires. 

The General Manager in Charge of External Communications, Charles Nii Ayiku Ayiku, who made the appeal on behalf of the company, highlighted the critical role community involvement played in safeguarding electricity poles and installations to prevent service interruptions.

In an interview with the Daily Graphic on the vulnerabilities of some of the company’s infrastructure during the harmattan season, Mr Ayiku emphasised the impact of frequent interruptions on ECG’s operations, explaining that replacing fire-damaged poles required substantial effort and time, often resulting in prolonged outages.

He stressed that the heightened risk of bushfires posed a grave threat to ECG's service delivery, with an increasing number of electricity poles being affected in operational areas.

"Our operational areas are witnessing bushfires, especially the farming zones, causing substantial damage to our installations, particularly the poles and equipment.

This disrupts power supply and imposes a financial burden on the company as significant resources are expended to replace the affected infrastructure," Mr Ayiku stated.

The general manager underscored the importance of community support in mitigating the impact of bush fires, acknowledging that such assistance had already played a vital role in addressing damages.

He implored the public to remain vigilant and promptly report any fires near electricity poles to the Ghana National Fire Service or the ECG.

Additionally, Mr Ayiku encouraged citizens to extinguish fires when it was safe to do so.

Expressing concern over bush fires, Mr Ayiku called upon opinion leaders, customers and the general public to collaborate with the ECG in curbing this threat.

He specifically addressed farmers, advising them to construct fire belts before clearing and burning weeds on their farmlands to prevent uncontrolled fires that endanger electricity infrastructure.

The appeal comes at a crucial time when the harmattan season is at its peak, and the ECG strives to ensure an uninterrupted power supply.

By fostering a sense of shared responsibility, he said the company aimed to elicit public support in preserving critical infrastructure and maintaining the reliability of electricity services.

“The ECG hopes this collective effort will contribute to a safer and more reliable power supply system amid challenging environmental conditions,” the General Manager External Communications said.