Bawku conflict increases power losses to 39 per cent
The unending conflict in Bawku has led to an increase in electricity losses from 20 per cent to 39 per cent, the Upper East Area Manager of the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo), Eugene Addo, has revealed.
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He said the high losses were indicative of people tampering with meters and service connections within the municipality.
Mr Addo disclosed this while addressing the media at the end of a month-long mass revenue mobilisation exercise within its operational areas.
The exercise, which ended on October 31, 2023, was intended to retrieve over GH¢165 million owed by consumers. He expressed worry that the power distribution company had not been able to deal with the situation as a result of the protracted conflict in the area.
Mr Addo mentioned that some of the residents had taken advantage of the situation to engage in illegal connections to their homes and shops.
Amount retrieved
He noted that the essence of the exercise was to retrieve debts owed the company, especially the Municipal and District Assemblies (MDAs) which owed a chunk of the debts.
He announced that at the exercise, out of the total amount owed by consumers, an amount of GH¢8 million was retrieved from post-paid consumers within the Upper East and North-East regions.
Further, he explained that consumers who were unable to pay a considerable amount of their indebtedness were disconnected.
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Mr Addo said as part of the exercise, more than 9,000 consumers were disconnected, adding, "Customers who managed to make payments were reconnected while others signed payment agreements to pay their debts in instalments.
"We do not take delight in disconnecting consumers, since our aim to embark upon the exercise is to retrieve debts owed," he said.
In the same vein, he said 111 illegal connections were detected in the course of the exercise and the culprits were processed for payment.
He said the company was unable to cut power supply to some critical institutions, especially hospitals and MDAs since the government was responsible for paying such debts.
Writer’s email; gilbert.agbey@graphic.com.gh