Man in his 30's dies while allegedly stealing ECG's high-tension cable

Reports say the unidentified man, believed to be in his 30s, was found dead by the Nsawam District Police in the Eastern Region. According to myjoyonline.com, the deceased's decomposing body was found under a high-tension pole in the bush at 'Combined Farm' at Dobro, near Nsawam. It is believed that the deceased was attempting to steal a copper cable connecting lightning arrestors when he was electrocuted.

The police rushed to the scene to take custody of the corpse of the deceased following an alert by a security man who first discovered it. It has since been deposited at the Police Hospital for preservation and autopsy.

Following the fatal incident, the Accra West Regional General Manager of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Emmanuel Akinie, has cautioned the public to stay away from electricity installations.

"In recent times, we have recorded incidents of theft and destruction of some of our equipment. Beyond the huge cost the company bears to replace such stolen or vandalized equipment, it also poses danger to properties and the lives of these criminals," he is quoted to have said. He further advised the public to report any unusual activity around ECG's installations to the nearest ECG office or the Police.

Recently, the ECG issued a fervent appeal to the public for assistance in protecting vital electrical infrastructure following a surge in transformer vandalization by thieves. Eastern Regional General Manager of the company made the appeal through a press release in the wake of escalating incidents of transformer theft, leading to disruptive power outages throughout the region.

She disclosed that the thefts have resulted in the pilfering of crucial components from six transformers, severely impacting service delivery to ECG customers. She added that the company invested a substantial sum of eight point four million Ghana cedis last year in transformer projects aimed at enhancing power supply reliability. This investment encompassed 95 projects, involving the installation of 17 new transformers and the replacement of 78 antiquated units.