The Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) has confiscated over 300 electricity meters from residents in Tamale suspected of stealing power, following a two-day early-morning operation.
The exercise, conducted between 5:30 and 6:30 a.m., focused on the Kalpohin and Kukuo communities.
In an interview with JoyNews, NEDCo’s Corporate Communications Manager, Maxwell Kotoka, explained that more than 300 individuals were found illegally bypassing their meters and engaging in other forms of power theft.
“Over just two days, during early morning hours, and covering only two communities, we have caught over 300 people guilty of meter bypass and power theft,” he said.
NEDCo officials had earlier disclosed that the company loses about 46% of its electricity to theft—a trend that endangers the firm’s financial stability.
The situation is especially critical in the Tamale Metropolis, where illegal connections and tampered meters have caused major revenue losses.
Mr. Kotoka added that many meters were damaged during the bypassing process, incurring further financial costs for the company.
“The unfortunate thing is that a significant number of these meters—expensive smart meters—have been destroyed. And the same consumers who damaged them turn around to complain when new meters aren’t readily available,” he said.
He warned that such widespread damage is undermining NEDCo’s capacity to serve new customers.
“Think about the challenge. We invest in meters, and in just two days across two communities, over 300 are destroyed. So when we get new meters, we are forced to replace the damaged ones instead of allocating them to new applicants,” he noted.
Mr. Kotoka also linked the theft to broader infrastructure issues. He revealed that seven new transformers had been installed in the Tamale Metropolis, along with others in Kpandai, Kete Krachi, and Bimbilla.
He explained that 11 transformers were initially replaced—seven in Tamale, two in Kpandai, and one each in Kete Krachi and Bimbilla.
“If the government invests in such infrastructure, and people steal power instead of paying, there will inevitably be negative consequences,” he said.
He confirmed that legal action would be taken against those found guilty.
