The Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Samuel Dubik Mahama, has commended the significant investments made toward achieving a cashless system, which has contributed to a notable reduction in the company's system losses, now lower than in 2023.

Mahama highlighted that the company's losses have decreased from 30% to 26%, marking substantial progress.

In an interview with Bernard Avle on The Point of View on Channel One TV, Mahama stated, "Within that period [2023], digitalisation took the front stage, we were trying to use systems to close the gap.

So, as I speak to you now, most of these interfaces that we have with our customers are codified and have been put in a workflow format, so by and large, we're even paperless when it comes to our customers. "So if even you want a new service connection, you go to our App or our webpage, and you follow the process and the prompt and we get to you.

What I can confirm to you is that our total system loss is lower now, which is 26%. [Lower than it was in] 2023." When asked if the reduction to 26% represented an improvement, Mahama responded affirmatively, "Yes." Mahama also expressed concerns about prepaid meters that have exceeded their lifespan, resulting in meters displaying negative readings.

He assured that steps are being taken to address this issue and close the gap. "The company's biggest problems are meters, you have meters that have gone passed their lifespan that are still on people's walls.

Currently, we have a problem where people's meters are going into the negative, why is it going into a negative?

If something is working perfectly why is that all of a sudden is giving you a negative balance?

It means it's not working well and so, steps need to be taken to close this gap," he said.

Mahama further emphasized the impact of ECG's operational turnaround, noting that the company has not received capitalization for Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) projects since 2008. "Do not forget, ECG as a company hasn't been capitalised for any CAPEX projects [capital expenditure] since 2008.

So this operational turnaround must be seen as very remarkable because we use our operational capital to do CAPEX.

Which in all around the world is the wrong thing to do, that is a bad business practice.

Because it's going to take a toll on the company." He further stated that customers can now acquire meters within a week, significantly reducing the waiting period.