Prime News Ghana

Man poses as ECG staff to extort customers

By Jeffrey Owusu-Mensah
Isaac Adzrah
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A man, identified as Isaac Adzrah, has been arrested by the Sogakofe District Police for impersonating as a staff of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG)  and extorting money from unsuspecting residents.

 

He is reported to have been visiting communities in the Central and South Tongu districts in the Volta Region posing as ECG staff but his luck run out last week and was arrested by field officers of ECG in the Central Tongu District, following a tip-off by some residents.

Adzrah at the time of his arrest, was threatening ECG customers in some villages with disconnection, and extorting monies from them, for non-settlement of their electricity bills.

Speaking after the arrest, Manager of the Sogakope District office of the ECG, Christine Hadzi said, her office had received several complaints from customers about the activities of a suspicious man, claiming to be a staff of ECG, who regularly extorted money from individuals and households.

“Once the complaints became rampant, I informed my field officers to be alert when they visited the communities. Upon a tip-off that he was scheduled to meet and receive monies from some customers, we informed the police and laid ambush to effect his arrest”, she said.

Preliminary interrogations revealed that his mode of operation was to request for the electricity bill of any household he visited, and if they owed any amount, he will demand an ‘operation fee’ or threaten immediate disconnection.

The Volta Regional General Manager of ECG, Ing. Joseph Forson praised the vigilance of the staff in the District, and called on customers to collaborate more with the ECG to rid the system of such miscreants.

“We encourage our customers to demand that anyone who comes to their facility to transact business in the name of ECG, properly identifies himself. Where there are suspicions on the identity or motives of any individual, customers should not hesitate to inform the District office for clarification”, he said, according to Daily Guide.