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The rate of power theft in the NEDCo operational area in Tamale is alarming and if nothing is done to stem the tide, the company risks collapse, Hon Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh has lamented.
The Minister of Energy stated that currently, the books of NEDCo show a frightening 48% energy loss per month in Tamale when other areas are recording as low as 17%.
He added that situation is further worsened by the current tariff regime which sells electricity to NEDCo at 50.28GHp/kWh but enjoins them to sell the same energy to lifeline customers at 41.91GHp/kWh.
“What this means is that if NEDCo were selling maize, in every month, it buys and transports 100 bags of maize to Tamale but is only able to account for 52 bags; in spite of this, it has to continue to go and buy another 100 bags in the next month. Clearly, Ndana, if this is not checked, sooner than later, we would not have any NEDCo in the area and by extension, there will be no national grid; I am very sure that that is the last thing we would wish for even our worst enemies,” he said.
Hon Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh said this during his official visit to the Paramount chief of Dagbon, Ndan Yaa Naa Abukari II, on Monday, December 12, 2023.
He posited that what aggravates their woes is that, of the 82.46% of their customers who are residential, as much as 46.81% are lifeline customers so their losses amass even before they start selling the power.
“It is in a bid to avoid this looming disaster that we have instructed the Management of NEDCo to take specific measures including the deployment of smart pre-payment meters which are less prone to manipulation and power theft,” the Energy minister assured.
He also said “we have heard some complaints about NEDCo’s general service delivery and treatment of the customer; while acknowledging these, please be assured that as the supervising Ministry, we have also tasked the Management of NEDCo to review their operations and systems to make them more customer friendly and human-centered; after all, without the customer, they cannot also, exist. We trust they have even started these so sooner than later, the results will be out there for all to see.”
Hon Matthew Opoku Prempeh, who is also the MP for Manhyia South constitueny, humbly appealed to Ndan Naa Yaa to demonstrate the highest traditional support possible for the drive to ensure the sustainability of electricity distribution in the north.
“Ndana, furthermore, may I ask humbly, that as the Overlord of Dagbon, to whom we all defer, you kindly consider making a public statement in support of the mass installation of the pre-payment meters,” he concluded.
In his address, the Overlord of the Dagbon Kingdom and President of the Dagbon Traditional Council, His Royal Majesty Ndan Ya-Na Abukari II, said he was happy through the efforts of the government, Dagbo Kingdom has experienced for the first time among other things the building of eight solar power plants by the Ghana’s Bui Power Authority with a total capacity of 259 MWp in Yendi and other parts of the northern regions.
“Honorable I wish to conclude by commending government in its effort towards reduction in our electricity tariff. Your Ministry’s continuous engagement with the PURC on a graduated tariff scheme to make electricity cost reasonable for consumers is a step in the right direction, he added.
Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com/Francis Appiah
