Upper East: VRA/NEDCo disconnects over 3,000 customers over illegal connection

Management of VRA/NEDCo in the Upper East Region of Ghana has taken action against customers who are indebted to the company.

Over 6,000 customers have been disconnected from the national power grid as part of the ongoing revenue mobilization and disconnection exercise.

The company has also retrieved an amount of GH¢7,984,658.40 from customers who owed outstanding payments.

According to Williams Asare, the Regional Billing and Revenue Mobilization Officer of VRA/NEDCo, the revenue mobilization exercise will continue to ensure improved service delivery and value for money for customers.

As of May 17, 2023, a total of 6,321 customers who owed various sums of money have been disconnected. Out of this number, approximately 2,891 customers have made partial payments and have been reconnected.

Furthermore, the company has taken measures to engage with institutions that previously did not pay their bills. Agreements have been signed with several health facilities to ensure payment of current bills and arrears over a specified period.

In addition to disconnections, the company has also identified 321 customers who were involved in illegal connections or power theft. Letters have been served to these customers, and while some have made payments and been reconnected, others have not.

The outstanding customers who have not paid anything toward their bills will be compiled and sent to the company’s legal department for prosecution.

Mr. Asare emphasized the company’s commitment to recouping all outstanding debts from customers. Although progress has been made in the revenue mobilization efforts, there is still a significant outstanding balance of GHC125 million.

The company aims to sustain the exercise to collect current bills and reduce arrears, which will contribute to the overall sustainability of VRA/NEDCo’s operations.

Customers are urged to promptly settle their bills to avoid disconnection from the national power grid.

“As of May 17, 2023, we have disconnected 6,321 customers who are owing various sums of money. A lot of them about 2,891 have come to pay part of the money, and they have been reconnected. The good news is also that we have engaged a lot of other institutions where hitherto were not paying their bills at all, we have engagements with almost all the health facilities where they have committed to paying their current bills, the arrears we have signed a number of agreements with a couple of them where they will pay a certain amount towards the arrears over a period of time”.

“We have arrested 321 customers who were tempering or stealing power within our operational area, we have served them letters and a number of them about 103 have come to pay and reconnected, but a good number have not come to pay. So by the close of this week, we will compile those outstanding customers who haven’t paid anything towards the bills that they were served, and we will send it to our legal department for prosecution”.