ECG losing GH¢3.2bn to power theft, unwillingness to pay electricity bills – Energy Minister
- Energy Minister Matthew Opoku Prempeh has disclosed that the ECG was bleeding due to power theft and the reluctance of power users to pay their bills
- He said at a press conference that the power distributor was losing GH¢3.2 billion to the incidence of power theft and failure to pay electricity bills
- He also justified the work of a task force that has been cutting power to some big private and public institutions
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The Minister of Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has revealed that the power distributor, Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), is losing GH¢3.2 billion to power theft and the unwillingness of power users to pay bills.
On Wednesday, April 13, 2022, the minister told the press that there was an active campaign by a task force to solve the problem and ramp up ECG’s revenue.
Dr Prempeh said the ECG would not remain viable if it lost a whopping $400 million or GH¢3.2 billion to theft and the reluctance of individuals and institutions consuming electricity to pay their bills.
Source: Instagram
“The task force is going out because of the amount of energy ECG is putting in the system; it is not getting the commensurate amount of money back to ensure that it becomes commercially viable,” the Minister explained.
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Ghana’s foremost power distributor has been on an aggressive campaign to recover debts owed by private and public institutions since last year.
So far, notable state institutions like the Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL) and parts of the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), the Ministry of Finance and the Economic and Organised Crimes Office have been hit by the electricity disconnection exercise over piled up debts.
University Of Ghana: ECG Threatens To Disconnect Electricity Over GH¢33 million Debt
The Electricity of Ghana (ECG) has served the University of Ghana with a disconnection notice in the next three days if it fails to pay a debt of over GH¢33 million for power.
According to a report by Citi News, the power debt covers power consumed on two separate metres.
On one metre, there is a debt of GH¢10, 926,147.53, while on another metre, there is a debt of GH¢22, 102,459.04.
ECG To Cut Power To Finance Ministry, Other State Agencies Over Huge Debts
Last month the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) served notice to disconnect power to the Ministry of Finance and a number of government agencies as part of a campaign to retrieve debts.
The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) was also on the list for the impending power disconnection by the utility company.
ECG told Joy News on Monday, March 14, 2022, that Finance Ministry and EOCO alone owe a staggering GH¢421,038.02.
Ghana’s Only International Airport Plunged Into Darkness After Utility Company Cut Power Over Debt
Ghana’s only international airport, the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), was plunged into darkness after the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) cut the power supply over huge debts.
Pulse News reports that the ECG was compelled to cut power to the airport on March 14, 2022, because the Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL), manager of the facility, has piled up electricity debts exceeding GH¢45 million.
The report explains that an ECG task force stormed the airport and disconnected the power supply to force the GACL to pay up.
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