As part of efforts to curb the menace of vandalising Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) installations in the Ashanti Region, the Management of ECG Ashanti West Region on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, engaged artisans of Suame Magazine.

The engagement, which took place at the forecourt of the Ashanti Regional Association of Garages Office at Suame Magazine, saw the nation’s largest Power Distributor engage artisans like welders, mechanics, private electricians, spare parts dealers and scrap dealers on salient issues about 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 affect the financial health of the ECG after spending millions to replace vandalised and stolen equipment.

Addressing the artisans, Ing. George Amoah, Ashanti West General Manager, explained the effects of purchasing or selling ECG equipment as scraps 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.

Ing. Amoah announced that the company was embarking on system improvement projects like 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 benefits.

Ing. Amoah 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.

Ing. Amoah indicated that the company is clamping down on such fake meters since these substandard meters are installed on the blindside of the company. “This practice is having a serious negative effect on the commercial and technical operations of the company”, he said.

Ing. Amoah advised customers to avoid purchasing such meters or dealing with third parties when they need meters and to visit the ECG offices for such services.

The ECG General Manager advised the general public to report individual or localised outages, sagged and fallen conductors, burnt or broken poles via the ECG contact center on 0302611611, report to the nearest ECG office, lodge a complaint on the ECG PowerApp, ECG WhatsApp Channel or ECG social media handles @ECGghOfficial on Facebook, X, or instagram for prompt intervention.

Ing. Amoah concluded by calling on the public to act as whistleblowers to help ECG curb illegal connections by reporting people who would engage in any illegality at any ECG office or call the national task force via 0551444011.

“There is a 6% commission on any amount we recoup as an incentive for anyone who gives us reliable information to unearth any illegality”, he added.

On his part, Alhaji Luqman, Ashanti Regional Chairman for the Garages Association, thanked 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.