By Murtalla Issah
The Ministry of Energy is seeking the support of Chiefs in the Northern Region to change meters for domestic and commercial power consumers in Northern Ghana. The initiative forms part of efforts to address power theft and improve efficiency across the country.
According to the Management of the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) up to forty-eight percent of electricity distributed in the Northern Region is lost to power theft.
The Managing Director of NEDCo, Osmani Aludiba Ayuba, said the practice could cause the collapse of the company if not checked. “Our losses in the Northern Area in general and Tamale in particular, constitute an existential threat to NEDCO,” he revealed. He, therefore, appealed to the Yaa Naa to support NEDCo’s efforts to address the canker.
Over the years, NEDCo has had serious confrontations with residents of the Northern Region, particularly Tamale, where some staff of the company are attacked on duty. Residents have also accused NEDCo of high-handedness in dealing with customers. The Yaa Naa in his address warned residents of the region against illegal connections and attacks on staff of NEDCo.
“These acts do not only deny government from generating enough revenue to continue with the provision of power to our communities, it is also a recipe for fire outbreaks and electrocution which cost us much more,” the Yaa Naa noted.
NEDCo has started the installation of new meters to address as part of measures to address power theft and improve efficiency in the Northern Area, but has faced some resistance among a section of the public.
The Minister for Energy, Matthew Opoku Prempeh, urged residents to comply with the policy to minimize illegal connections.
