The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has embarked on an exercise to replace over 10,000 postpaid meters with prepaid meters at Atimpoku, Asutsuare, Akuse and Akrade, all in the Krobo District of the ECG under the Tema Region.

The ECG has, therefore, called on customers in the district to cooperate with management in their own interest.

Most customers in the Yilo Krobo and Lower Manya Krobo areas under the Krobo District of ECG have been placed on prepaid meters and management of the company has called all other customers in the district to be part of the prepaid metering system for their own good.

Press briefing

Addressing the media at a press conference at the ECG Krobo District Office at Somanya last Monday, the Krobo District Manager, Christopher Apawu, stated that ECG meter replacement was always done in phases and it was now the time for the customers at the Atimpoku, Akrade, Akuse and Asutsuare areas.

With him at the press conference were the Tema Region Marketing Officer, Nii Kwei Codjoe, the Krobo District Human Resource Manager, Vivian Apekey, the Krobo District Engineer, Tetteh Apan, and Krobo District Accounts Officer, Patience Nutakor.

Mr Apawu stated, “Prepaid meter installation begins with pre-installation surveys and general education on the functionality of the meters.

The district has started with these initial works in Akrade, Atimpoku and then moved to Akuse and Asutsuare and the actual meter replacement in these areas will begin hopefully in the first quarter of 2024.”

He, however, explained that all new service requests in these areas and by extension all areas under the Krobo District were being served with prepaid meters, which meant that there were already some new prepaid meters in those areas.

“In all we are looking at replacing over 10,000 postpaid meters with prepaid meters.

All these replacements will be at the cost of ECG and no customer is to pay for any of the replacements. 

I want the customers to be alert so that anybody who wants to collect money from any customer for the meter replacement, be it ECG worker or anybody at all, should be exposed to the company for the law to deal with such a person or group of people,” Mr Apawu advised.

The Krobo District Manager explained further that meter replacements were different from new service requests, hence while meter replacements were free of charge for the customer, new service requests came at a fee to be borne by the customers.

Mr Apawu cautioned that no customer was to install unauthorised meter or meters in anticipation that they would be replaced, as such action was illegal and anyone caught would equally be made to face the full rigours of the law.

He said the company already had data on all meters to be replaced and any additional meter would be identified.

Mr Apawu said ever since ECG Krobo District and the customers in the Krobo area had a challenge a year or two ago, the relationship with the customers had been very good and cordial and the company was poised to maintain such relationship.

He, therefore, pleaded with the Krobo customers to also maintain same going forward.

 He announced that the fun games held earlier would come off again in February next year and urged the various teams to get themselves ready.