The Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Samuel Dubik Masubir Mahama, has urged Parliament to criminalise the illegal bypassing and theft of electricity.

His call comes after the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) reported a GH¢3.7 million loss due to illegal power connections in the Northern region.

During a session with the Public Accounts Committee, NEDCo's Managing Director Osman Ayuba revealed that "... an estimated power loss or stolen power in the northern area was GH¢3.7 million. The whole NEDCo area was GH¢4.1 million."

Mr Ayuba further noted that NEDCo has managed to recover GH¢1.5 million so far, and efforts are ongoing to address the issue and reduce future losses.

But speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Mr Mahama called for a stringent measure to combat the menace.

According to him, illegal connections does not only damage the company but also unfairly burden law-abiding citizens who pay their bills.

“It’s already a criminal act not to pay your electricity bill, but bypassing meters to use electricity without paying is outright theft.

“These illegal activities should be formally recognised as criminal offenses by an Act of Parliament. It’s stealing, plain and simple,” he said on Tuesday.

Mr Mahama revealed that ECG has taken significant steps to combat this issue by establishing a new directorate focused on investigation and prosecution.

“We now have a dedicated team with the mandate from the Attorney General to prosecute offenders. If we catch anyone bypassing meters, and the elements of theft are clear, they will be charged accordingly. This is crucial for us to recover the money owed and ensure fairness across the board," he explained.

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He pointed out that some individuals deliberately design their homes to conceal illegal connections.

“People create hidden bypasses in their walls during construction, making it difficult to detect electricity theft. However, with the introduction of metering at both the distribution transformer and the household level, we can now identify discrepancies in consumption and uncover these hidden connections.”

Addressing these concerns, Mr. Mahama acknowledged the challenges with estimated billing, which often results in higher-than-expected charges.

“We admit that estimated billing can be inaccurate. However, we encourage customers to keep paying the minimum amount due to avoid a large bill when the meter is finally read and reconciled. If you haven’t been receiving accurate bills, it’s not an excuse to stop paying altogether,” he advised.

Clarifying misconceptions about meter ownership, he said, “There’s a common belief that customers own their meters because they paid for them, but that’s not true. Meters are part of the service connection, not personal property.”

Mr Mahama further outlined the different service options available to customers.

“We offer premium services where, if the installation doesn’t require extensive materials, you can get a meter within 24 hours. For more complex installations involving cables or transformers, we have a timeframe for completion, but under PURC regulations, the process should take no longer than a week.”