Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko has said it is illegal for workers of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to sell meters to consumers.

This comes on the heels of complaints by some customers over how cumbersome it is to acquire a meter and, worse of all, having to part with money before laying hands on a meter.

Answering questions on the floor of parliament on Wednesday, 5 June, 2017 on what has accounted for the charging of estimated electricity bills to post-paid consumers of electricity in the Yilo Krobo and Lower Manya municipalities, Mr Agyarko said although the meters are free, customers are expected to pay a service charge for the installation of the meters.

“Mr Speaker, with respect to the unauthorised transfer of meters, it is not a sanctioned activity. The illegalities continue. That is how come we have illegal connections and ECG is trying as much as possible to be able to track the meters they issue,” he said.

“Yes we are supposed to, under the law, grant access, but often times people are not at home – and this is not to suggest a deliberate act of prevention, it might just happen that people are simply not at home… The handheld meters have just been introduced. And the Yilo Krobo and Lower Manya municipality, they have the key pad instead of the electronic, but it’s a gradual interaction and we hope that sooner than later it will be fully functioning in the two areas.

“Mr Speaker, meters issued by ECG are not for sale and they’ve been made the property of ECG. That is why there is a service charge for the use of a meter.”

He also added that the demolished office of the service provider at Somanya in the Eastern Region will remain closed until further notice.

In the interim, Mr Agyarko said the office has been temporarily relocated to neighbouring Juapong.