The Ashaiman District Court has sentenced a 25-year-old labourer to six months imprisonment with hard labour for stealing water meters belonging to the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL). 

The court presided over by Derrick Parden Eshun convicted Samuel Kpomble on his own plea of guilty of stealing. 

The facts of the case stated that the labourer and one other, who is currently at large, were arrested by residents on Monday, August 21, 2024, at Golf City in the Kpone-Katamanso Municipality at about 1 pm stealing water meters belonging to GWCL. 

He was subsequently handed over to the Golf City Police and arraigned before the court after investigations. 

Meanwhile, Mr. Sampson Ampah, the Tema Regional Communications Manager of the GWCL, told the Ghana News Agency that the region had recorded over 500-meter thefts in the past three months. 

Mr. Ampah said there were extracts from the police, where the customers reported the incidents and requested replacement. 

He explained that the current meters being installed together with the other components, such as the stopcock and safety valve, were all plastic. 

“We are, therefore, appealing to the scrap dealers to desist from buying any GWCL meters from any person,” he said.

He added that “the issue is really alarming and also considering the fact that we have to replace these meters to our customers at a cost to GWCL.” 

He appealed to the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious activities related to water meter theft to the police.