The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) in the Ashanti West operational region has surcharged 2,248 customers for illegal electricity connections in 2025, recovering over GH¢4.3 million from defaulters.
A total of 3,018,561.10 kWh, valued at GH¢5,812,727.06, was identified during monitoring exercises, of which GH¢4,388,264.59 has already been recovered. The company has put strategies in place to recover the remaining amount.
The illegal connections were uncovered through a day-and-night inspection carried out by the ECG Revenue Protection team, which visited 8,182 customers across hotels, households, hostels, cold stores, restaurants, and institutions. The exercise covered areas including Bantama, Denkyemuoso, Kwadaso Estate, Suame, Kronum, Ahenema Kokoben, Brofoyedru, and Atonsu.
According to Ing. George Amoah, General Manager of ECG Ashanti West, the exercise audited electricity connections and checked the integrity of meters and service cables. He noted that meter bypassing, unauthorized connections, and meter tampering were among the illegal practices detected.
Ing. Amoah highlighted the negative impact of illegal connections on the company’s revenue and operations. “Such activities hinder ECG’s ability to pay suppliers like GRIDCo, VRA, and Independent Power Producers (IPPs), affecting the entire electricity supply chain. They also overload transformers, causing low voltage and interruptions for other customers,” he said.
The ECG has warned the public against illegal connections, describing them as criminal acts punishable under Executive Instrument (EI) 38 of the Appointment of Public Prosecution Instrument (2010). Ing. Amoah added that illegal connections are dangerous and can lead to electrocution or fire outbreaks.
The company has urged customers to report illegal connections and avoid tampering with meters or hiring unauthorized electricians. The Ashanti West Region covers eight operational districts: Abuakwa, Adum, Ahinsan, Bibiani, Danyame, Kokoben, Offinso, and Suame.
Jonathan Asante, Commercial Manager for the region, advised customers to prioritize paying bills and using prepaid meters, warning against illegal power consumption.
ECG has also announced plans to crack down on illegal and fake meters in 2026. Ing. Frank Mensah, Revenue Protection Manager, stated, “Some customers remove genuine meters and replace them with fake or illegal ones to avoid paying bills. Our monitoring will be intensified this year, and offenders will be surcharged accordingly.”
