ECG engages traders at Suame Magazine
As part of efforts to curb the menace of vandalising ECG installations in the Ashanti Region, the Management of ECG Ashanti West Region, last Wednesday engaged the artisans of Suame Magazine.
The engagement which took place at the forecourt of the Ashanti Regional Association of Garages Office at the Suame Magazine saw the ECG engage artisans such as welders, mechanics, private electricians, spare parts dealers and scrap dealers on salient issues pertaining to electricity supply in the Ashanti Region.
The engagement comes after recent attacks on ECG transformers, pylons, meters, cables and service lines by unknown individuals, which often lead to power outages in the region and affects the financial health of the ECG after spending millions to replace vandalised and stolen equipment.
Addressing the artisans, the Ashanti West General Manager of ECG, George Amoah, explained the effects of purchasing or selling ECG equipment as scrap and appealed to the artisans to help curb the menace of vandalised ECG installations in the region to enhance power delivery.
“We distribute power with our transformers, pylons and cables, so when essential parts are stolen, power supply will be curtailed and this will affect businesses, homes, schools, hospitals and other installations, hence the need to help ECG protect our installations.”
“We humbly appeal to all of you to desist from purchasing and selling stolen ECG items and report any individual who tries to sell such items to the police,” he said.
System improvement
Mr Amoah announced that the company was embarking on system improvement projects such as the construction of new distribution lines (feeders) across the region to improve electricity supply to customers.
He urged customers to desist from illegal connections and pay their bills promptly to enable ECG to serve them better through the completion of existing projects and initiation of new ones that will inure to their benefit.
He also advised customers to take advantage of the ECG cashless system by downloading the ECG PowerApp from Google playstore or AppStore or use the shortcode *226# to pay their bills.
The ECG General Manager for Ashanti West Region further cautioned customers and the general public against the illegal sale, distribution and purchase of fake meters in the Ashanti Region by some individuals but visit ECG offices for such services.
“This practice is having a serious negative effect on the commercial and technical operations of the company,” he said.
Power outages
The ECG General Manager advised the general public to report individual or localised outages, sagged and fallen conductors, burnt or broken poles to the nearest ECG office, lodge a complaint on the ECG PowerApp, ECG WhatsApp Channel or ECG social media handles for prompt intervention.
He called on the public to act as whistleblowers to help ECG curb illegal connections by reporting people who engage in any illegality at any ECG office or call the national task force.
“There is a six per cent commission on any amount we recoup as an incentive for anyone who gives us reliable information to unearth any illegality,” he added.
The Ashanti Regional Chairman for Garages Association, Alhaji Luqman, thanked the ECG for the extensive sensitisation on their operations and called for further engagement to deepen relations with stakeholders to enhance service delivery.
The ECG in Ashanti West Region has eight Districts, namely: Adum, Ahinsan, Danyame, Kokoben, Abuakwa, Suame, Offinso and Bibiani.
