Correspondence from Central Region

The Central Regional Directorate of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has mobilized about GH¢38 million from debtors in the Region. The amount received was part of the GH¢255 million owed by the state agencies, businesses and individuals in their catchment districts.

The ECG is yet to retrieve about GH¢217 million debts as part of its nationwide revenue mobilization exercise.

Boye Mahmar Awal, the Regional Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the ECG disclosed such information in an interview with GhanaWeb in Cape Coast. In the Region, he stated that the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has remained the highest debtor and efforts were made to retrieve the money.

He said over 1,000 customers have been disconnected so far across their ten operational districts in the Region. Illegal connections detected throughout the exercise was minimal and the ECG continues to advocate against the practice.

"The ECG is embarking on a revenue mobilisation drive to retrieve a debt of GH¢5.7 billion across the country, of which customers in the Volta and Oti regions owe about GH¢219 million. The exercise being undertaken operational districts across the region and was yielding the desired results, with two more weeks to go", he said.

Awal reiterated that ECG never took delight in disconnecting its clients but as a business entity, which bought power to trade for profit, it could crush when unpaid bills are not collected.

He said disconnections at the last resort was carried out to prevent the customer from accruing more debt and to enable the Company to gather more revenue to keep the electricity supply chain running.

The PRO advised the public to desist from connecting illegally since its a criminal offence to steal power, which when found attracts a jail term.