The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has launched a 100-day preventive maintenance exercise on power lines across the Ashanti Region.

The move aims to ensure a stable power supply during storms.

In addition to the maintenance works, ECG is intensifying efforts to crack down on scrap dealers and other individuals who steal power installations, which disrupt electricity supply throughout the region.

Vandalism and theft of ECG installations, including transformers, cables, and protective equipment, have been on the rise in the Ashanti Region. A recent theft incident at the Adoato Substation tragically resulted in the death of one individual.

The Manager for the Ashanti West Region of ECG, Ing. George Amoah, emphasised the significant impact of these illegal activities on the company’s operations.

“We don’t want to run as a company. We need money for this company to ensure that everything goes well. We buy transformers, we buy poles, we buy conductors—almost everything that we use, we buy,” he said.

“And it is the same money that we get that we use. So if we steal, it means we’re not going to get it. Because when they continue to steal, it’s affecting us as a company, it’s affecting us as a nation,” he added.

As the rainy season sets in, exposed parts of vandalised installations present safety risks and could lead to imminent power fluctuations in the region.

Ashanti Regional Chairperson of the Ghana Association of Garages, Alhaji Luqman Mohammed Nuhu Apiedu, discussed the challenges in tackling the theft.

“The scrap dealers attack those of us who find out they are selling illegal items, like the ECG installations. This is preventing a lot of people from reporting cases of thievery like these,” he revealed.

To ensure a continued and stable power supply, ECG is conducting preventive maintenance on all critical installations in the region.