The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has updated Ghanaians on matters arising during its one-month revenue mobilisation exercise.

The ECG has visited some notable companies and governmental agencies, some of which have been disconnected during the exercise. 

In a public notice on Thursday, 30 March 2023, updating Ghanaians on matters arising during its current nationwide revenue mobilisation exercise in order to recover monies owed the company for power consumed, the ECG noted that two events that stand out are; “Disconnection of the Police Barracks at Osu and Detention of Company personnel at the premises of the Ghana Post Company Limited.”

It explained that the “Personnel of the Company on the 28 March, 2023, disconnected electric power to the Osu Police Barracks over an illegal connection which was discovered at the premises. 

“This occurred after a friendly exchange between the Company’s personnel and Divisional personnel of the Ghana Police Service, and we wish to place on record the professional and courteous conduct of the Police Service in this regard.”

Reminding the public of its mandate to disconnect a consumer from its service without notice under the Public Regulations Commission (Consumer Service) Regulations (L.I. 2413), it indicated that “once an illegality was discovered on the premises of the Police Barracks at Osu, the Company reserves the right to take steps against the individuals who benefitted from the illegal connection, that is, the institution of criminal proceedings against them.”

On the detention of its personnel at the premises of the Ghana Post Company Limited, the ECG stressed on Section 84 of the Criminal Offences Act 1960(Act 29) which states; “A person who unlawfully assaults another person commits a misdemeanor.”

It further stressed that the Company is entitled under L.I. 2413 to read its metre on a consumer’s premises, and “reserves the right to take steps against individuals who refuse to allow the Company to undertake this function, or interfere with the Company’s personnel while performing this function.”

The ECG, therefore, noted that: “In exercise of this right, personnel from the Company proceeded to the premises of the Ghana Post Head Office in Accra on 28 March, and having given due notice to the consumer by way of public notice, disconnected the premises from the Company’s service lines for non-payment of bills.”

 It continued that the officers of the Ghana Post “subsequently detained the Company personnel for well over an hour and refused to allow them to leave the premises until assistance was sought from the Security agencies.”

The ECG added that: “The imprisonment by the officers of the Ghana Post amounted to assault, as captured under Section 84 and 85 of the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29), and the Company reserves the right to make a complaint with the Police for the matter to be investigated and possibly prosecuted.”