The police at Mamprobi have arrested Henry Teye Adjirackor, a technician, for illegally possessing, selling and installing meters, and passing them off as meters from the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
The suspect was arrested after field-monitoring officers of the ECG from the Korle Bu District Office disconnected power to some users of the illegal meters. The customers upon interrogation named the suspect as the source of the meters. They claimed that the self-styled meter contractor sold the illegal meters to unsuspecting members of the public.
Syndicate
Speaking to the media, the Korle-Bu District Manager of the ECG, Solomon Tsawe, described the suspect as part of a syndicate whose modus operandi included duplicating existing meter details already installed for customers, printing a sheet and super imposing the information on the face of the illegal meters.
“These criminal acts do not only deny the ECG of the needed revenue from the service we provide but they also pose a safety risk to customers, since the quality and safety of these illegal meters have not been audited,” he said.
The Accra West General Manager of the ECG. Ebenezer Ghunney, admonished customers to deal directly with officers of the ECG in all meter-related service requests. “Anytime you make any official payment and an official ECG receipt is not issued to you, that should be your first sign that you are probably being defrauded or engaging in an illegality,” he added.
Mr Ghunney advised customers to contact any of the ECG offices to clear any doubts and seek clarity on issues.
The ECG has embarked on a nationwide campaign to reduce losses through a moratorium for customers who have engaged in illegal connections, or have faulty meters. Customers who do not receive bills and those who do not buy prepaid are also advised to report to the nearest ECG office for prompt action.
Police investigations are continuing to arrest other named members of this criminal syndicate.