The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has credited the Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC) and the broader public with significantly reducing the theft of electricity conductors in the Ashanti South Region, saying the decline has directly improved power supply reliability and freed resources for network investment.
Jonathan Adjabeng, Regional General Manager for ECG Ashanti South, made the commendation at a stakeholder engagement in Kumasi, singling out Ashanti Regional Minister and REGSEC Chairman Dr Frank Amoakohene for sustained leadership in coordinating security responses to infrastructure vandalism.
Adjabeng said persistent conductor theft in previous years had been among the most damaging operational challenges facing the region, triggering frequent outages, elevating maintenance costs and diverting resources that would otherwise support network upgrades. The recent and sustained reduction in such incidents has measurably stabilised power supply and improved service delivery across the Ashanti South Region, he said.
The commendation comes after a period of intensified security action against electrical infrastructure theft in Kumasi and surrounding areas. Amoakohene launched a dedicated campaign against copper cable theft from streetlights and ECG infrastructure in March 2025, directing REGSEC to treat the vandalism as a criminal priority and warning that perpetrators would be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent. Security agencies and community watchgroups subsequently increased patrols and tip-off reporting around known theft hotspots.
The broader electricity theft problem in the Ashanti Region extends beyond conductor vandalism. ECG’s Ashanti West Region separately disclosed last week that it recovered Ghana cedis (GH¢) 4.39 million in 2025 from customers found to have made illegal power connections, out of GH¢5.81 million in total surcharges imposed, representing approximately 3.02 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity consumed unlawfully. Revenue Protection Manager Frank Mensah said monitoring would be intensified in 2026, noting that some offenders had replaced confiscated meters with counterfeit devices to evade payment.
Adjabeng also warned customers to exercise vigilance against mobile money fraud, noting that scammers continue to impersonate ECG staff or use digital platforms to deceive customers into transferring funds through unofficial channels. He urged the public to make all electricity payments exclusively through ECG’s approved digital platforms and official communication channels.
He further called on customers to settle electricity bills promptly, explaining that timely revenue collection remains ECG’s primary mechanism for paying power producers and procuring the operational materials necessary to maintain and expand the distribution network. ECG’s suppliers include the Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo), the Volta River Authority (VRA) and a number of Independent Power Producers (IPPs).
On the infrastructure side, ECG’s Ashanti sub-transmission division is currently constructing a new line from Adoato to Barekese, due for completion in 2026, which will improve power supply to Offinso and provide the Ghana Water Company with a more reliable electricity source for pumping water to Greater Kumasi. Additional projects include a new line from Anwomaso to the Airport substation and new substations at Agogo, Nsuta and Kumawu.
Ghana’s electricity distribution system faces a compound challenge of ageing infrastructure, commercial losses from theft and illegal connections, and persistent underpayment pressures that constrain capital available for network rehabilitation. ECG officials say the security gains made in Ashanti South offer a replicable model for other regions grappling with similar infrastructure theft problems.
