The Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) has uncovered 426 illegal activities in the Tamale metropolis between April and June this year. 426 customers were served letters indicting an estimated cost of power stolen.
The illegal activities according to NEDCo charge amounted to 738,377.48.This, NEDCo said is threatening the survival of the company and earlier they fight against it the better.
The Director of Service at NEDCO, David Adomanku Mensah disclosed this to the media in Tamale at a press briefing on the activities of illegal connections. ’’ our business is so much threaten if within Tamale metropolis not even the entire metropolis just few section people stolen power to this tune; in no time we will going out of business’’ Mr David lamented.
According to him, 265 of the 426 affected consumers are yet to pay their charges thereby implying a whopping default rate of 62.2 percent.
In real cash terms, GHC339,881. 97 was paid by the 161 affected consumers who have so far responded with the amount representing 46.03 percent of the total billed amount, the statement added.
Mr. David added that, by direct deduction, GHC398,495. 51 representing 53.97 percent of the total billed amount remains unpaid.
Some customers after VRA and NEDCo disconnected them reconnected themselves compounding their problems.
NEDCo say they have recorded a few cases of repeated offense and are not treating it with ease. In response to the situation, NEDCo said it has formed area taskforce stationed at all five operational areas with a coordinating one at its head office in Tamale to deal with the situation which is affecting its operations.
Meanwhile, the Area Manager of the Volta River Authority (VRA) in the northern region, Francis Babeyeri, has assured customers of better service.
VRA he said has put up several interventions gear at improving on service delivery to its customers. According to him, VR has realized that the distribution network system VRA inherited from ECG in the region is old and need replacement which is capital intensive.
Mr Francis, stated that for the past one year, they have replaced a number of some the old equipment that allow them to isolate their network , branch network and serve customers at various places.
He said they have replaced ten of the old equipment at areas in the Tamale metropolis and other parts of the northern region.
Areas such as central mosque, Kalpohin estates, STC substation, Agric area and other places have its transformers replaced and 13kilometers of faulty underground cables have also being replaced at places like Sakasa, kalpohin estates, Teaching hospital among others.
The VRA area manager stated this at NEDCo press briefing on the activities of NEDCo and VRA in Tamale.
The two power producers Mr Francis added have taken measures such as maintenance and extension of light to some parts of their operational areas.
28 kilometers of high tension lines were constructed in about 32 communities in their operational area and extended 43kilometers of lines to various communities last year.
Some transformers in the Tamale metropolis where ejected in the various suburb stations with 22 transformers being upgraded.
By; Ibrahim Dikunyalala/zaaradio.com
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