Kumasi: The Ashanti West Region of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has successfully recovered GHS4,388,264.59 in 2025 from customers involved in illegal power connections. This recovery is part of a larger effort to address the issue of power theft and ensure a steady revenue stream necessary for the viability of the electricity supply chain.
According to Ghana Web, the General Manager of the region, George Amoah, stated that the recovered amount forms a part of the GHS5,812,727.06 in surcharges levied on offenders within the year. These illegal activities accounted for approximately 3,018,561.10 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity consumed unlawfully.
Amoah emphasized that the illegal consumption of electricity significantly impacts ECG's financial obligations to key suppliers, including GRIDCo, the Volta River Authority (VRA), and Independent Power Producers (IPPs). "As a company, we pay suppliers like GRIDCo, the Volta River Authority (VRA), and Independent Power Producers (IPPs) for power purchased and distributed to customers. Illegal consumption denies us the revenue to pay these key players," he noted in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA).
While a substantial portion of the surcharges has been recovered, Amoah noted that efforts are ongoing to retrieve the remaining balance from offenders. He further warned that illegal connections are a criminal offence, prosecutable under Executive Instrument (E.I.) 38 of the Appointment of Public Prosecution Instrument (2010).
Amoah called on the public to assist in combating this issue by reporting any suspected illegal connections or meter irregularities to the nearest ECG office.