She said the Adentan Fire Command had found many illegal underground power connections in the Municipality which, she said, threatened fire safety.    “My team has been on the ground to inspect this, the situation is very alarming and we would not sit there unconcerned,” the Commander told the Ghana News Agency in an interview.     

DOI Amankwaa said illegal connection did not only rob the country of huge sums of money but was also a major source of fire outbreak which hampered the efforts of the GNFS to combat the menace.

However, she said, there was the general perception that some workers of the Electricity Company of Ghana allegedly supported some of the residents and connected the power for them at very cheap cost.     

DOI Amankwaa said the Municipal Fire Command was resolute to clamp down on the menace and that it was yet to embark on an inspection to bring the offenders to book.       She said after the inspection those found culpable would be given few days to disconnect the power and go to the ECG for legal reconnection but if they failed, appropriate sanctions would be meted out to them.                   

The Adentan Fire Commander called on opinion leaders, including chiefs, to educate residents on the effect of illegal power connections saying underground connections could cause electrocution especially in the rainy season.     

In a related development, Mr Michael Baah, the Eastern Regional Manager of the ECG, said the company lost GHC153, 554.50 in the region through illegal connection from January to March 2017.     Mr Baah was speaking in an interview with the media during an inspection of two primary substations at Asamankese and Suhum.

 Illegal power connection continues to remain a big challenge for the ECG and the GNFS is making efforts to ensure the safety of lives and property in the country.