The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has responded to the growing public concern from households and businesses who claim their prepaid meters are exhausting credit balances at abnormal rates.
ECG’s Ashanti West Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Obeng Antwi, in an interview on Nhyira FM’s “Kro Yi Mu Nsem”, admitted that some prepaid meters were improperly installed, contributing to rapid credit depletion.
“We acknowledge that improper installation of some prepaid meters is also a factor that may lead to rapid credit depletion. Sometimes during installation, some of the electrical cables and wires get mixed up. As for those prepaid meters, it’s easy to identify because immediately you install it, bills start reading faster,” he told the host, Barima Kofi Dawson.
He mentioned that the management is taking concrete steps to identify the faulty meters and address the issue.
Mr. Obeng Antwi also pointed out other factors contributing to fast credit depletion, including improper wiring, overloaded earthing systems, weather conditions, and energy misuse.
He mentioned that many people in Ghana are using unqualified electricians and substandard cables for their electrical wiring at home and at the workplace.
“We have been advising the general public that when connecting electricity, they should hire a certified electrical engineer to do the wiring according to standards. Also, they should make it a point to inspect and possibly replace their electricity wires every 8-10 years.”
He also warned about the dangers of overloaded or faulty earthing systems, saying they are a major contributor to rapid credit depletion and can even lead to electrical shocks.
On energy misuse, he encouraged people to switch off lights, appliances, and equipment when not in use to conserve energy and prolong the life of their prepaid units.
The PRO apologized to ECG customers in the Ashanti region over the recent power outages, acknowledging the inconvenience caused.
He clarified that the recent power outage in Kumasi was not a case of “Dumsor” but rather an isolated incident caused by damaged wires at Adoato.
He assured customers that steps were being taken to address the issue and prevent similar occurrences in the future.
