The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has cautioned customers against engaging unauthorised private electricians to operate within its network.

George Amoah, General Manager of the Ashanti West Region of ECG, who made the call, said the activities of these unlicensed electricians were illegal and caused significant losses to both the company and its customers.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Kumasi, he explained that such electricians often climbed poles, fused transformers with substandard materials, and transferred customers from one phase to another.

According to him, these illegal activities frequently led to power cuts, low voltage, power fluctuations, and transformer damage.

He recalled a recent incident in which the ECG lost a 33kV transformer at Bousie in the Suame District due to the activities of unauthorized electricians. The company was forced to replace it with a 200kV transformer valued at GH¢110,000.00.

Other areas, including the Adum Business District and Abinkyi, have also suffered damage to installations caused by the actions of such electricians.

“Currently, their actions are destroying our transformers and causing outages and low voltage to our customers, as they swap phases and end up overloading particular transformers,” Amoah said.

He added that the ECG not only incurred costs in replacing damaged installations but also lost revenue from unused power supply already paid for by customers, due to the outages caused by these illegal operators.

Amoah also cautioned that unauthorised electricians risked their lives by working on ECG networks, as they could be electrocuted.

“Our system is a ring system, which allows us to supply customers from different feeders during an outage. An electrician illegally climbing a pole to fix a fault may think there is no power in the conductors, but we may be supplying from another feeder, which could electrocute them,” he explained.

He further disclosed that an engagement with residents of Dabaa in the Atwima Nwabiagya North Municipality revealed they were relying on a private electrician, who charged GH¢150 for restoring power during outages.

“Regular load monitoring showed that this electrician had transferred many customers onto the red phase, thereby overloading that phase of the transformer,” he said.

Amoah emphasised that every electrician or engineer working within the ECG network must obtain a permit from the company before undertaking any work.

He noted that authorized electricians and engineers could be identified by their ECG-issued identification cards, branded reflector vests, helmets, vehicles, and safety apparel.

He warned that anyone caught engaging in such illegal activities would be prosecuted, as the ECG was empowered to do so under Executive Instrument (E.I.) 38 of the Appointment of Public Prosecution Instrument (2010).

GhanaWeb's latest documentary, Sex for Fish, that explores the plights of teenage girls in coastal communities, all in an attempt to survive, is out. Watch it below: