Ghana: ECG District Installs 35,000 Prepaid Meters

The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) District Office at Krobo under the jurisdiction of Tema Regional ECG has installed almost 35,000 prepaid meters in the district since the beginning of the prepaid meter installation project in 2022.

This was disclosed by the District Manager, Ing. Christopher Apawu, during a discussion on Somanya-based Rite FM as part of general education on ECG operations and services in the area.

Ing. Apawu indicated that, as with all projects, the prepaid meter installation is done in phases, area after area and it is an ongoing ECG operational activity.

The aim of the organisation is to eventually provide prepaid meters to all customers in all its operational areas.

During the radio education, questions were asked as to whether the ECG is installing the prepaid meters on the orders of some individuals or not.

To this, the Manager responded that “installation of prepaid meters is not on the orders of any individual and that it is a national project that was started in the year 2000.

The goal is to eventually get all ECG customers throughout its operational areas on prepaid meters and that goal is an ongoing one.”

He added that the utility distributor also relies on other organisations and services to do aspects of their work.

“So, for instance, for a prepaid meter to be installed and to have it working well, internet service must be good in that locality. Hence, we move behind the telecom companies where our prepaid meter installations are concerned.”

Ing. Apawu and his team on the programme also spoke generally about steps in meter acquisition, customers being alert to avoid fraud situations as well as emphasising that ECG has gone cashless, hence all payments are digital.

They mentioned that ECG does not have any mobile money number to which customers are to make payments, so anyone who contacts them and asks them to make any payment to any number is a fraud.

He indicated that “by cashless, payments are made through the ECG mobile app or the use of shortcode *226#“.

Ing. Apawu and his team also educated the public on the use of Energy Commission certified electricians and to avoid using substandard cables for their wiring works. They indicated that “the ECG, per law, cannot supply power to any structure that does not have a certified wiring certificate; therefore, customers should please take note and do right by the law.”

The Manager was accompanied on this educational drive by the Krobo District Customer Management Officer, Mr. Maxwel Narh, and the ECG Tema Regional PRO, Ms. Sakyiwaa Mensah.

Source: https://energynewsafrica.com