The Northern Electricity Distribution Company Limited (NEDCO) has prosecuted a total of 121 customers who had defaulted in paying their electricity bills while 144 customers were also being arraigned before court to serve as deterrent to others.

Mr David Adomako-Mensah, Director of Services of NEDCO, who disclosed this on Tuesday, said the company had a only ten-day grace period for customers, who were not on the prepaid meter system to pay their bills, failure of which will result in prosecution, stressing that, 426 cases of illegal activities of varying forms were identified from April to June 2014.

The Director, who was addressing a press conference in Tamale on Tuesday, said the illegal activities of some customers had resulted in GHS738,377.48 debts to NEDCO, which was threatening the survival of the company.

Mr Adomako-Mensah said management of the company has set up an Area Task Force, stationed at all the five operational areas, to co-ordinate activities to prevent, identify and fight all forms of illegal activities on the NEDCO network.

He said the company was poised to serve its customers diligently and dutifully and urged consumers to be vigilant and protect the properties of the company.

Mr Moses Tawiah, acting Director of Engineering of NEDCO said the company had embarked on major rehabilitation and network expansion projects to improve service delivery.

Mr Tawiah warned customers against offering money or paying for electricity meters to be fixed in their homes explaining that NEDCO and its sister companies do not charge any fee for meters fixed for customers since the meters were free of charge.

He complained that NEDCO was facing several challenges, including poor and unrealistic tariffs payment, obsolete equipment, which results in frequent problems, and called for external assistance to improve electricity distribution.