NAWEC launches crackdown on widespread electricity theft

Speaking on Kerr Fatou’s The Grand Bantaba programme on Friday, Mr. Badjie described electricity theft as a “serious and increasingly widespread problem” affecting both households and businesses. He explained that some customers illegally bypass NAWEC meters or make unauthorized connections to company lines, allowing them to consume electricity without being billed.   To combat the issue, NAWEC has established a special taskforce led by the company’s energy adviser. The unit has already apprehended several individuals, some of whom have been fined and compelled to make payments to the utility. Mr. Badjie said more arrests are expected in the coming weeks as the crackdown intensifies.   When asked why the company had not publicly identified those caught, Mr. Badjie stressed the importance of following due process. “Human beings have rights, the country has laws, and NAWEC also has procedures,” he said. “You don’t just come and bring it to the public. So there are procedures, and we are following those procedures. When we are done, you will see all of them. It won’t be long.”   He confirmed that NAWEC intends to publish the names of offenders once the necessary legal and administrative steps have been completed.